Shloka 52

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

यश्चैकमनसा नित्यं तुंकारं ब्रह्मरूपिणम् । किमसाध्यं न तस्यापि यथामति वरानने

Transliteration

yaścaikamanasā nityaṃ tuṃkāraṃ brahmarūpiṇam | kimasādhyaṃ na tasyāpi yathāmati varānane

Translation

Oh de bello rostro, quien con mente unificada contempla siempre la sílaba «tuṃ», que es de la naturaleza de Brahman, ¿qué hay que no pueda lograr? Según su propia capacidad, todo se vuelve realizable.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एकमनसा: with one-pointed mind
• एकमनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (मनस्), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (with single-mindedness); समास: एकं मनः (descriptive)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• तुंकारम्: the sound ‘tuṃ’ (tuṃkāra)
• तुंकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• ब्रह्मरूपिणम्: having the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपिणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of तुंकारम्; समास: ब्रह्मणः रूपी (genitive-tatpurusha)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• असाध्यम्: impossible
• असाध्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; किम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक (particle: even)

• यथामति: according to one’s understanding
• यथामति: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-मति (अव्यय-समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• वरानने: O fair-faced one
• वरानने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-आनना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समास: वरं आननं यस्याः (descriptive)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; it is a mantra/nāda instruction highlighting a specific bīja-like syllable (tuṃ) as brahma-rūpa.

Significance: Supports mantra-centered sādhana often undertaken at Śiva temples; emphasizes ekāgratā (single-pointedness) as the key to siddhi and spiritual accomplishment.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tuṃ

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that unwavering, single-pointed contemplation of a Shiva-mantra syllable identified with Brahman removes limitations and makes spiritual and worldly attainments possible, culminating in Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

In Shaiva practice, mantra-japa and inner contemplation support external worship such as Linga-puja; the syllable is treated as Shiva’s living presence (Saguna support) while pointing to His supreme Brahman-nature (Nirguna truth).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests daily, focused japa/dhyana with ekāgratā (one-pointedness) on the mantra-syllable “tuṃ,” undertaken according to one’s capacity, as a disciplined sadhana to gain siddhi and spiritual upliftment.