Shloka 36

Devanagari script

पंचमुद्रा ः प्रदर्श्याथ शिवमंत्रजपं चरेत् । शतरुद्रि यमंत्रेण जपेद्वेदविचक्षणः

Transliteration

paṃcamudrā ḥ pradarśyātha śivamaṃtrajapaṃ caret | śatarudri yamaṃtreṇa japedvedavicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Then, having displayed the five ritual mudrās, one should undertake the japa of Śiva’s mantra. The knower of the Veda should perform the repetition using the Śatarudrīya mantra.

Word by Word

• pañca-mudrāḥ: the five mudrās
• pañca-mudrāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + mudrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (pañca mudrāḥ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचनम्

• pradarśya: having shown
• pradarśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having shown’; अव्ययभावः

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/thereafter)

• śiva-mantra-japam: japa of the Śiva-mantra
• śiva-mantra-japam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (śivasya mantraḥ; tasya japaḥ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• caret: should perform/practice
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• śata-rudrīya-mantrena: with the Śatarudrīya mantra
• śata-rudrīya-mantrena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + rudrīya (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (śatarudrīyasya mantraḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचनम्

• japet: should recite (japa)
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• veda-vicakṣaṇaḥ: the Veda-knower/expert
• veda-vicakṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘in the Veda’ + ‘skilled’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śatarudrīya (Yajurveda)

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links outer ritual discipline (mudrās) with inner devotion (japa), teaching that ordered practice purifies the paśu (bound soul) and turns awareness toward Pati (Shiva), supporting the Shaiva Siddhanta aim of grace-led liberation.

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

Mudrās and mantra-japa are standard supports in Saguna Shiva worship—often performed before or during Liṅga-pūjā—so the devotee’s body, speech, and mind align in reverent focus upon Shiva as the accessible Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform the pañca-mudrās and then do Shiva-mantra japa, specifically employing the Vedic Śatarudrīya (Rudra-prayer) as the mantra basis for repetition and contemplation.