Shloka 34

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

सर्वान्देवान्नमस्कृत्य स्थिरबुद्धिः स्थिरासनः । प्रणवं पूर्वमभ्यस्य गायत्रीमभ्यसेत्ततः

Transliteration

sarvāndevānnamaskṛtya sthirabuddhiḥ sthirāsanaḥ | praṇavaṃ pūrvamabhyasya gāyatrīmabhyasettataḥ

Translation

Having first bowed to all the gods, let the practitioner—steady in mind and seated firmly—practice the Praṇava (Oṁ) first; thereafter, he should practice the Gāyatrī.

Word by Word

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'देवान्' इति विशेषण

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• नमस्कृत्य: having saluted
• नमस्कृत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Gerundial subordinate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'नमस्कृत्य' = having saluted

• स्थिर-बुद्धिः: one with steady mind
• स्थिर-बुद्धिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'स्थिरा बुद्धिः यस्य' (as a descriptive nominal)

• स्थिर-आसनः: seated steadily / with steady posture
• स्थिर-आसनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'स्थिरम् आसनम्' / 'स्थिरासनेन युक्तः'

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (first/before)

• अभ्यस्य: having practiced
• अभ्यस्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Gerundial subordinate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'अभ्यस्य' = having practiced/recited

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अभ्यसेत्: should practice/recite
• अभ्यसेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereafter)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that Shiva-worship is grounded in inner discipline: humility (salutation), steadiness of mind and posture, and mantra-abhyāsa beginning with Oṁ—preparing the aspirant for grace-oriented Shaiva sādhanā.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Before external Linga-pūjā, the devotee aligns body and mind through japa; Oṁ and Gāyatrī function as purifying supports that steady awareness so devotion to Saguna Shiva becomes focused and effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sit in a stable āsana with a steady mind, offer salutations, then perform japa of Praṇava (Oṁ) followed by Gāyatrī-japa as preparatory mantra practice for Shiva-upāsanā.