Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

कादिपंचाक्षराण्यस्य पञ्च हस्ताश्च दक्षिणे । चादिपंचाक्षराण्येवं पंच हस्तास्तु वामतः

Transliteration

kādipaṃcākṣarāṇyasya pañca hastāśca dakṣiṇe | cādipaṃcākṣarāṇyevaṃ paṃca hastāstu vāmataḥ

Translation

この聖なる配列において、「ka」に始まる五つの音節は右側の五つの手に置かれ、同様に「ca」に始まる五つの音節は左側の五つの手に置かれる。

Word by Word

• कादिपञ्चाक्षराणि: the five syllables beginning with ka
• कादिपञ्चाक्षराणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कादि + पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'कादीनि पञ्च अक्षराणि' (the five syllables beginning with ka)

• अस्य: of him/of this (deity)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; agreeing with हस्ताः (plural)

• हस्ताः: hands
• हस्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

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

• दक्षिणे: on the right side
• दक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; 'on the right (side)'

• चादिपञ्चाक्षराणि: the five syllables beginning with ca
• चादिपञ्चाक्षराणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चादि + पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'चादीनि पञ्च अक्षराणि' (the five syllables beginning with ca)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; agreeing with हस्ताः (plural)

• हस्ताः: hands
• हस्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• वामतः: on the left side
• वामतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'from/on the left side'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Shakti Dimension

Role: protective

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Internalization of the cosmos into the sādhaka’s body via nyāsa—concealment/revelation dynamic (tirodhāna leading toward anugraha).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined mantra-practice: sacred syllables are not treated casually but installed through nyāsa, making the body and actions fit vessels for Shiva’s grace (Pati) and aiding the soul (paśu) in loosening bondage (pāśa).

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

Nyāsa supports Saguna Shiva worship by sanctifying the worshipper’s limbs before approaching the Liṅga—so the outer ritual mirrors inner alignment, concentrating devotion and steadiness during pūjā and japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice mantra-nyāsa by mentally (or ritually) assigning syllables to the hands—right side with the ‘ka’-series and left side with the ‘ca’-series—then proceed with japa and Liṅga-pūjā with focused awareness.