Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

अहिंसालोकमास्थाय ज्ञानकैलासके पुरे । कार्येश्वरस्तिरोभावं सर्वान्कृत्वाधितिष्ठति

Transliteration

ahiṃsālokamāsthāya jñānakailāsake pure | kāryeśvarastirobhāvaṃ sarvānkṛtvādhitiṣṭhati

Translation

Abiding in the realm of ahiṃsā, in the city of Jñāna‑Kailāsa, Kāryeśvara presides—having veiled all beings by His power of concealment (tirobhāva).

Word by Word

• अहिंसा-लोकम्: the Ahiṃsā-world
• अहिंसा-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ("the world called Ahiṃsā")

• आस्थाय: having entered/resorted to
• आस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), अर्थः—‘having resorted to/entered’

• ज्ञान-कैलासके: in the Jñāna-Kailāsa
• ज्ञान-कैलासके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + कैलासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ("knowledge-Kailāsa" i.e., Kailāsa characterized by knowledge)

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कार्य-ईश्वरः: Kāryeśvara (Lord of action)
• कार्य-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ("Lord of action/effect")

• तिरोभावम्: concealment/disappearance
• तिरोभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरोभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all (beings)
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), अर्थः—‘having done/made’

• अधितिष्ठति: presides/abides
• अधितिष्ठति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Contemplation of tirodhāna (veiling) as Śiva’s grace-in-disguise: recognizing bondage as pedagogical concealment that ripens the paśu toward anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: tirodhāna as cosmic function enabling differentiated experience

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Kāryeśvara—the Lord of manifested functions—who governs the cosmos while also veiling beings through tirobhāva, indicating that bondage and awakening occur under His divine order, and that ahiṃsā and jñāna are gateways to inner Kailāsa.

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

As Saguna Shiva, the Linga signifies the Lord who actively presides (adhitiṣṭhati) over creation; recognizing His tirobhāva helps the devotee move from external ritual to inner understanding, seeing the Linga as the presence of Pati who both conceals and reveals.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice ahiṃsā as a daily vrata and meditate on Shiva as the indwelling Lord of Kailāsa through japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating that ignorance is a veil (tirobhāva) removable by His grace and right knowledge.