Shloka 34

Devanagari script

एषते इति मंत्रेण शिवमुद्रा ं प्रदर्शयेत् । यतोयत इत्यभयां ज्ञानाख्यां त्र् यंबकेण च

Transliteration

eṣate iti maṃtreṇa śivamudrā ṃ pradarśayet | yatoyata ityabhayāṃ jñānākhyāṃ tr yaṃbakeṇa ca

Translation

With the mantra beginning “eṣate,” one should display the Śiva-mudrā. With the mantra “yato-yata,” one should show the Abhayā-mudrā (the seal of fearlessness); and with “tryambaka,” one should also show the mudrā called Jñāna, the seal of spiritual knowledge.

Word by Word

• एषते: “eṣate” (the mantra-word)
• एषते: Karma (कर्म) [of ‘iti’ quotation]
• Type: Noun
• Root: एषते (मन्त्र-पद/प्रातिपदिक-वत्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; mantra-śabda used as quoted form (उद्धृतपद)

• इति: thus/“…”
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/quotative (उद्धरण-चिह्न)

• मन्त्रेण: by the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• शिवमुद्राम्: the Śiva-mudrā (hand-gesture)
• शिवमुद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य मुद्रा)

• प्रदर्शयेत्: should display
• प्रदर्शयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; causative sense ‘make show’ (प्रदर्शयति)

• यतः: thereupon/from there
• यतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अव्यय), ‘from/thereupon’ (यतः-प्रभृति/यतः)

• यत: “yat” (mantra-syllable/word)
• यत: Karma (कर्म) [of ‘iti’ quotation]
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; used as quoted mantra-element (उद्धृतपद)

• इति: thus/“…”
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/quotative (उद्धरण-चिह्न)

• अभयाम्: the Abhayā (mudrā/gesture of fearlessness)
• अभयाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ज्ञानाख्याम्: named ‘Jñāna’
• ज्ञानाख्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष sense ‘called jñāna’ (ज्ञान-आख्या) qualifying ‘अभयाम्’

• त्र्यम्बकेण: with/using (the mantra) ‘Tryambaka’
• त्र्यम्बकेण: Karana (करण) / Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र्यम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Mudrā-darśana within Kāśī worship functions as a ‘bodily mantra’: the devotee aligns gesture, sound, and intention to invoke Śiva’s protection (abhaya) and illumination (jñāna).

Significance: Gestures (mudrā) paired with mantras are taught as efficacious upacāras that stabilize attention and invite anugraha—especially jñāna-anugraha (bestowal of liberating insight).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: “eṣate…”; “yato-yata…”; “tryambaka…”

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is not only verbal (mantra) but also embodied (mudrā): the devotee aligns body, speech, and awareness, cultivating jñāna (right knowledge) and abhaya (fearlessness) under Shiva’s grace.

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

In Saguna Shiva/Liṅga-pūjā, mudrās act as ritual ‘seals’ that stabilize devotion and intention while offering to the Liṅga; they externalize inner surrender and invoke Shiva’s protective and illuminating presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

During Shiva-pūjā or japa, recite the indicated mantras and perform the corresponding mudrās—Śiva-mudrā, Abhayā-mudrā, and Jñāna-mudrā—using them as contemplative supports for protection (abhaya) and spiritual insight (jñāna).