Shloka 44

Paramātma-Svarūpa-Nirṇaya: Strī–Puṃ–Napuṃsaka-Vicāra

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

प्रज्ञानशब्दश्चैतन्यपर्य्यायस्स्यान्न संशयः । चैतन्यमात्मेति मुने शिवसूत्रं प्रवर्त्तितम्

Transliteration

prajñānaśabdaścaitanyaparyyāyassyānna saṃśayaḥ | caitanyamātmeti mune śivasūtraṃ pravarttitam

Translation

Oh sabio, no hay duda de que la palabra “prajñāna” es sinónimo de Conciencia (caitanya). Proclamando que “la Conciencia misma es el Sí mismo”, se expone así el Śiva‑sūtra, enseñando al Pati (Śiva) como el luminoso Sí interior que otorga liberación al jīva atado.

Word by Word

• प्रज्ञान-शब्दः: the word ‘prajñāna’
• प्रज्ञान-शब्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (prajñānasya śabdaḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• चैतन्य-पर्यायः: a synonym of consciousness
• चैतन्य-पर्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैतन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (caitanyasya paryāyaḥ)

• स्यात्: would be / is (as a statement)
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चैतन्यम्: consciousness
• चैतन्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object, quoted content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैतन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (रूपसाम्य)

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, in quotation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-निपात (quotative particle)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• शिव-सूत्रम्: the Śiva-sūtra
• शिव-सूत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवस्य सूत्रम्’

• प्रवर्तितम्: has been promulgated/set forth
• प्रवर्तितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वृत् (धातु) → प्रवर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive: ‘has been set forth’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: चैतन्यमात्मा (caitanyam ātmā)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies true knowledge (prajñāna) with pure consciousness (caitanya) and declares that this consciousness is the Self—pointing the seeker to realize Śiva as the indwelling Pati who liberates the soul from bondage.

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

While the Liṅga supports Saguna worship as a sacred focus, the verse reveals its inner meaning: worship culminates in recognizing the same Śiva as caitanya within—devotion ripening into direct realization of the Self.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative inquiry and japa aligned with Śiva—such as steady repetition of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with inward contemplation that the witnessing awareness is the Ātman—supported by Śaiva disciplines like bhasma and rudrākṣa if practiced.