Shloka 32

गुरुत्व-परम्परा-शौचविधि-प्रश्नः

Questions on Guruhood, Lineage, and Purificatory Discipline

Devanagari script

प्रणवाष्टोत्तरशतं ब्रह्मभिः पञ्चभिः क्रमात् । सद्यादीशान्तमप्यस्त्रं रक्षितं वर्मणा पुनः

Transliteration

praṇavāṣṭottaraśataṃ brahmabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ kramāt | sadyādīśāntamapyastraṃ rakṣitaṃ varmaṇā punaḥ

Translation

तदनन्तर क्रमशः पाँच ब्रह्म-मंत्रों द्वारा प्रणव (ॐ) के एक सौ आठ जप किए गए। और सद्योजात से लेकर ईशान तक का दिव्य अस्त्र, मंत्र-रूप वर्म (कवच) से पुनः सुरक्षित किया गया।

Word by Word

• प्रणव-अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: one hundred and eight (recitations) of Oṃ
• प्रणव-अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव-अष्टोत्तर-शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु: अष्टोत्तरशत (108) + प्रणव (oṃ) = ‘108 (recitations) of praṇava’; English: neuter accusative singular

• ब्रह्मभिः: with Brahma(-mantras)
• ब्रह्मभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; here ‘Brahma-mantras/ ब्रह्म (sacred formulae)’; English: instrumental plural

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक; English: instrumental plural ‘with five’

• क्रमात्: in sequence, step by step
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (हेतु/क्रम), एकवचन; used adverbially ‘in order/stepwise’; English: ablative singular

• सद्यः-आदि-ईशान्तम्: (mantra-set) from Sadyojāta to Īśāna
• सद्यः-आदि-ईशान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्यः-आदि-ईशान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: सद्यः (Sadyojāta) + आदि (etc.) + ईशान्त (Īśāna-end) = ‘from Sadyojāta up to Īśāna’; English: neuter accusative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; ‘also/even’

• अस्त्रम्: the astra-mantra (weapon-mantra)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; English: neuter accusative singular

• रक्षितम्: protected
• रक्षितम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षित (कृदन्त; √रक्ष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-भूतकृदन्त ‘protected’; English: neuter nom/acc sg

• वर्मणा: by armor/protective covering
• वर्मणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; English: instrumental singular

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again/further)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: praṇava (Oṃ) recited 108 times; pañca-brahma mantras in sequence: Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, Īśāna; astramantra and varma (protective armor) application implied.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents mantra as Shiva’s protective power: the praṇava (Oṁ) and the fivefold Shiva-principle (Pañcabrahma) are arranged in order to form a spiritual “armour,” indicating disciplined japa and inner safeguarding on the path to liberation.

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

Sadyojāta through Īśāna are the five faces/aspects of Saguna Shiva commonly contemplated in Linga-worship; the verse implies that invoking these aspects with Oṁ-based japa consecrates and protects one’s worship and spiritual practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sequential japa of Oṁ (often counted as 108) together with contemplation of the Pañcabrahma (Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, Īśāna) as a kavacha/varma—i.e., mantra-protection before or during Shaiva worship and meditation.