Shloka 16

Liṅga–Bera Pūjā: Nitya-Arcana and Upacāras as an Accessible Sādhana (लिङ्गबेरपूजा-विधानम्)

Devanagari script

वेदांतसारसंसिद्धं प्रणवार्थे प्रकाशनात् । एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो मंदरे नंदिकेश्वरः

Transliteration

vedāṃtasārasaṃsiddhaṃ praṇavārthe prakāśanāt | evameva purā pṛṣṭo maṃdare naṃdikeśvaraḥ

Translation

Because the meaning of the Praṇava (Oṃ) reveals what is firmly established as the very essence of Vedānta, in the same way, long ago on Mount Mandara, Nandikeśvara was questioned about it.

Word by Word

• वेदान्त-सार-संसिद्धम्: established by the essence of Vedānta
• वेदान्त-सार-संसिद्धम्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, सम्+सिध्+क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः ‘वेदान्तस्य सारः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + ‘सारे संसिद्धम्/सारेण संसिद्धम्’ अर्थे समाससम्बन्धः; समग्रार्थः ‘वेदान्तसारतः सिद्धम्’ (established by the essence of Vedānta)

• प्रणव-अर्थे: in the meaning of the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-अर्थे: Adhikarana/Location (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘प्रणवस्य अर्थः’

• प्रकाशनात्: from (its) exposition
• प्रकाशनात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाशन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव, प्र+काश् धातोः ल्युट्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (ablative of cause: ‘from/through the exposition’)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/in this manner’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारण (indeed/just)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla/Time (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: formerly/once)

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः ‘पृच्छितः’ (having been asked)

• मन्दरे: on/at Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरे: Adhikarana/Location (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Nandikeśvara
• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘नन्देः ईश्वरः’ (Nandīśvara)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Nandikeshvara
• Pranava (Om)
• Mandara

FAQs

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

It asserts that the Praṇava (Oṃ) is a direct revealer of the Vedānta-essence—pointing to Śiva as Pati (the Lord) known through sacred sound and realized as the liberating truth.

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

By grounding teaching in Praṇava, it links mantra-upāsanā (sound-form) to devotion toward Śiva’s manifest presence (Saguna worship), which culminates in insight into His transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplative japa and dhyāna on Oṃ (and, by extension, Śiva-mantras like the Pañcākṣarī) with reflective inquiry into its meaning, as taught in Shaiva traditions.