Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 43

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

प्रणिपत्य किमात्मेदमित्यचिंतयतां तदा

Transliteration

praṇipatya kimātmedamityaciṃtayatāṃ tadā

Translation

S’étant prosternés, à l’instant même ils se mirent à méditer : «Qu’est donc en vérité ce Soi (Ātman) ?»

Word by Word

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• आत्मा: self, soul
• आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyaprayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• अचिन्तयताम्: do not think (you all)
• अचिन्तयताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; नकार-पूर्वक (अ-निषेध) = ‘do not think’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows the Shaiva path where surrender (praṇipāta) ripens into right inquiry: turning the mind from outer forms to the truth of the Ātman, ultimately understood through Shiva as Pati, the revealer of liberating knowledge.

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

Prostration to Saguna Shiva (often through Linga-worship) purifies the seeker; that devotion then matures into contemplation on the Self, by which Shiva’s higher truth is realized beyond mere external ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin with humble prostration and then practice dhyāna: quietly contemplate “Who am I—what is the Ātman?” while remembering Shiva, ideally supported by japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) if part of one’s discipline.