Shloka 10

Ṣaḍvidhārtha-Parijñāna: Praṇavārtha and the Sixfold Unity of Meaning (षड्विधार्थपरिज्ञानम् / प्रणवार्थपरिज्ञानम्)

Devanagari script

प्रथमो मंत्ररूपः स्याद्द्वितीयो मंत्रभावितः । देवतार्त्थस्तृतीयोऽर्थः प्रपञ्चार्थस्ततः परम्

Transliteration

prathamo maṃtrarūpaḥ syāddvitīyo maṃtrabhāvitaḥ | devatārtthastṛtīyo'rthaḥ prapañcārthastataḥ param

Translation

ಮೊದಲ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಂತ್ರಸ್ವರೂಪ; ಎರಡನೆಯದು ಮಂತ್ರದಿಂದ ಭಾವಿತ (ಶಕ್ತಿಸಂಚಿತ)ವಾದುದು. ಮೂರನೆಯ ಅರ್ಥ ದೇವತಾರ್ಥ—ಅಂದರೆ ಭಗವಂತನ ಸೂಚನೆ; ಇವುಗಳ ಪಾರವಾಗಿ ಪರಮಾರ್ಥವು ಪ್ರಪಂಚತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• prathamaḥ: the first
• prathamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mantra-rūpaḥ: having the form of a mantra
• mantra-rūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—'मन्त्रस्य रूपः'

• syāt: should be / is said to be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• dvitīyaḥ: the second
• dvitīyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mantra-bhāvitaḥ: imbued/empowered by mantra
• mantra-bhāvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + √bhū (भू धातु) → bhāvita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): 'भावितः' = 'made/imbued'; तत्पुरुषः—'मन्त्रेण भावितः'

• devatā-arthaḥ: the deity-meaning (sense relating to the deity)
• devatā-arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—'देवतायाः अर्थः'

• tṛtīyaḥ: third
• tṛtīyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• arthaḥ: meaning
• arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• prapañca-arthaḥ: the meaning relating to the manifested world
• prapañca-arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapañca (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st case), Ekavacana (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—'प्रपञ्चस्य अर्थः'

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय); अव्यय-प्रकारः—क्रमवाचक/अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereafter)

• param: further/next
• param: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga (अव्ययप्रयोग) as adverb: 'further/next/after that' (नपुंसक एकवचन रूपं अव्ययीभूतम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Encourages layered contemplation: from mantra-sound to empowered practice, to devatā-realization, culminating in insight into prapañca as Śiva’s ordered manifestation (without collapsing Pati into pāśa).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It outlines progressively subtler layers of mantra-understanding—from recitation, to mantra-infused contemplation, to direct focus on Shiva as the deity, culminating in insight into reality as a manifestation dependent on the Lord.

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

The “deity-meaning” supports Saguna upasana: the mantra is contemplated as pointing to Shiva (often worshiped as the Linga), so japa becomes devotion and inner worship directed to the Lord’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa followed by dhyana: repeat the mantra, internalize its power (bhavana), then meditate on Shiva as its deity, and finally contemplate the cosmos as pervaded and governed by Shiva for liberation-oriented insight.