Shloka 12

Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā

Devanagari script

षट्त्रिंशत्कोटिजापी तु निश्चयं योगमाप्नुयात् । सूक्ष्मं च द्विविधं ज्ञेयं ह्रस्वदीर्घविभेदतः

Transliteration

ṣaṭtriṃśatkoṭijāpī tu niścayaṃ yogamāpnuyāt | sūkṣmaṃ ca dvividhaṃ jñeyaṃ hrasvadīrghavibhedataḥ

Translation

But one who performs japa to the measure of thirty-six crores attains Yoga with certainty. And the subtle (sūkṣma) should be understood as of two kinds, distinguished as short and long.

Word by Word

• षट्-त्रिंशत्-कोटि-जापी: one who performs japa of thirty-six crores (3.6×10^8)
• षट्-त्रिंशत्-कोटि-जापी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + जापिन्/जापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound: ‘one who repeats (japa) [a count of] thirty-six crores’); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), contrast/emphasis

• निश्चयम्: certainly/with certainty
• निश्चयम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative; adverbial use), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• योगम्: yoga (union/attainment)
• योगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूक्ष्मम्: the subtle (form)
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (understood: ‘sūkṣmam [pranavam]’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (‘of two kinds’); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; agrees with ‘jñeyam’/‘sūkṣmam’

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known/should be understood
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य: -एय, ‘to be known’); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ह्रस्व-दीर्घ-विभेदतः: according to the distinction of short and long
• ह्रस्व-दीर्घ-विभेदतः: Hetu/Upapatti (हेतु/आधार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + विभेद (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘by the distinction of short and long’); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb ‘from/according to’): -तः

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva’s teaching on mantra-japa and yogic attainment to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined, sustained mantra-japa as a direct means to assured yogic attainment—steadiness of repetition ripens the mind into subtle absorption, culminating in Śiva-realization.

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

Japa supports Saguna upāsanā of Śiva (often with the Liṅga as the focal support) and gradually refines devotion into subtle inner worship, where the mantra becomes inward and leads toward knowledge of Śiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A structured program of mantra-japa (commonly the Pañcākṣarī) progressing from audible/regulated repetition to subtle mental repetition, noting the mantra’s short and long articulations as part of attentive practice.