Shloka 15

छायापुरुषलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Marks of the Shadow-Person

Devanagari script

अज्ञेया लिख्यते लोके या सर्पीकृतकुण्डली । सा मात्रा यानसंस्थापि दृश्यते न च पठ्यते

Transliteration

ajñeyā likhyate loke yā sarpīkṛtakuṇḍalī | sā mātrā yānasaṃsthāpi dṛśyate na ca paṭhyate

Translation

世には、蛇がとぐろを巻く（クンダリー）ごとく記される、知り得ぬ印がある。それは「マー トラー（mātrā）」と呼ばれ、乗り物の形に据えられて見えるが、発音できる文字音としては読まれない。

Word by Word

• अज्ञेया: unknowable
• अज्ञेया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• लिख्यते: is written
• लिख्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• या: which (she who)
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• सर्पीकृतकुण्डली: having coils made serpent-like
• सर्पीकृतकुण्डली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्पी-कृत-कुण्डली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कुण्डली या सर्पीकृता)

• सा: she/that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative pronoun)

• मात्रा: (as) a measure / a mātrā
• मात्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (appositional)

• यानसंस्था: situated in a vehicle/seat (posture)
• यानसंस्था: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यान-संस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (याने संस्था/स्थितिः यस्याः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पठ्यते: is read/recited
• पठ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to a subtle, transcendent aspect of sacred sound: something can be represented (written/seen) yet remain beyond ordinary speech. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this hints that Shiva—Pati—can be indicated by mantra-signs, but His highest reality is not exhausted by verbal recitation.

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

Like the Linga, which is a visible support for contemplation of the formless, this ‘seen but not read’ sign suggests a support (ālambana) that leads the mind from form (saguna indications) toward the ineffable (nirguna truth) of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It supports japa with inner contemplation: recite the mantra outwardly, but also meditate on the unspoken, subtle resonance (nāda) behind the syllables—moving from audible japa to mental japa and finally to silent absorption.