Shloka 42

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

महत्तत्त्वं समारभ्य शरीरं तु सहस्रकम् । एकैकस्माज्जपादेकमतिक्रम्य शनैः शनैः

Transliteration

mahattattvaṃ samārabhya śarīraṃ tu sahasrakam | ekaikasmājjapādekamatikramya śanaiḥ śanaiḥ

Translation

Beginning with Mahat-tattva (the cosmic principle of intelligence), one should mentally traverse the ‘thousandfold body’ step by step—passing beyond each level by a single repetition of japa, gradually and with steady patience.

Word by Word

• महत्तत्त्वम्: the mahat-tattva
• महत्तत्त्वम्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat-tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत्तत्त्वम् = महान् तत्त्वः)

• समारभ्य: starting from
• समारभ्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• सहस्रकम्: a thousand (in number)
• सहस्रकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (collective: ‘a thousandfold/consisting of a thousand’)

• एकैकस्मात्: from each (one)
• एकैकस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka-eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (एकः च एकः) अर्थे ‘from each one’

• जपात्: from (a unit of) recitation
• जपात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अतिक्रम्य: having passed beyond
• अतिक्रम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having passed over/going beyond’

• शनैः: slowly
• शनैः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: slowly/gradually)

• शनैः: slowly (again)
• शनैः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined, gradual inner ascent: by mantra-japa one transcends successive tattvas (levels of manifestation), moving from cosmic intelligence (Mahat) toward Shiva-realization beyond the bonds of embodied existence.

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

Saguna worship (such as Linga-upasana) stabilizes devotion and concentration; supported by japa, the seeker internalizes the worship and progressively crosses subtler layers of the self, culminating in awareness of Shiva as the supreme Pati beyond all tattvas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A structured japa-sadhana: repeat the Shiva mantra with steady attention, using each repetition as a deliberate step to move beyond a particular inner layer (tattva/mental formation), proceeding slowly and consistently rather than forcefully.