Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

प्रणवं मातृकायुक्तं देहे न्यस्य ऋषिर्भवेत् । दशमातृषडध्वादि सर्वं न्यासफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

praṇavaṃ mātṛkāyuktaṃ dehe nyasya ṛṣirbhavet | daśamātṛṣaḍadhvādi sarvaṃ nyāsaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

By performing nyāsa—placing the Praṇava (Oṃ) together with the Mātr̥kā letters upon one’s own body—one attains the state of a ṛṣi. From the “ten mothers,” the “six paths,” and the rest, one gains the entire fruit of nyāsa in Śiva’s worship.

Word by Word

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

• मातृका-युक्तम्: joined with the mātṛkā (letters)
• मातृका-युक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातृका-युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मातृकया युक्तम्); √युज् (धातु) क्त (PPP) used adjectivally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying प्रणवम्

• देहे: in the body
• देहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• न्यस्य: having placed (performed nyāsa)
• न्यस्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यास् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive) from नि-√अस् ‘to place’; ‘having placed’

• ऋषिः: a seer
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दश-मातृ-षडध्व-आदि: the ten mothers, the six paths, etc.
• दश-मातृ-षडध्व-आदि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + मातृ + षडध्व + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ समास with आदि-प्रत्यय (etc.); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of लभेत्

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying (दशमातृषडध्वादि) or nyāsaphalam by sense

• न्यास-फलम्: the fruit/result of nyāsa
• न्यास-फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास-फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (न्यासस्य फलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s worship-methods to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ (praṇava) with mātṛkā-nyāsa (alphabetic seed-letter placement)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the body becomes a sacred seat for Śiva when consecrated through nyāsa of Om and the Mātr̥kā letters, transforming ordinary embodiment into mantra-filled awareness—an inner qualification likened to becoming an ṛṣi.

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

Nyāsa prepares the worshipper as a fit vessel before approaching the Liṅga: by installing Śiva’s mantra-power in the limbs, one performs Saguna worship with purity and focus, while also pointing toward the inner realization of Śiva as the indwelling Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-nyāsa: place the Praṇava (Om) together with the Mātr̥kā/seed letters on the body (limb/heart/head nyāsas as taught by one’s guru), thereby gaining the full benefit of nyāsa in Śiva-pūjā.