Shloka 16

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशः प्रसन्नः शीतलद्युतिः । पंचवक्त्रो दशभुजस्त्रिपंचनयनः प्रभुः

Transliteration

śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaḥ prasannaḥ śītaladyutiḥ | paṃcavaktro daśabhujastripaṃcanayanaḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

പ്രഭു ശുദ്ധസ്ഫടികസദൃശനായി, പ്രസന്നനായി, ശീതളവും ആശ്വാസകരവുമായ ദ്യുതിയോടെ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു. അവൻ പഞ്ചവക്ത്രൻ, ദശഭുജൻ, പതിനഞ്ച് നേത്രങ്ങളുള്ള പരമേശ്വരൻ.

Word by Word

• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśaḥ: having the appearance of pure crystal
• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); samāsa: śuddhasya sphaṭikasya saṃkāśaḥ (like pure crystal)

• prasannaḥ: serene, gracious
• prasannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śītala-dyutiḥ: cool-radiant
• śītala-dyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śītala (प्रातिपदिक) + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dyutiḥ (radiance) qualified by śītala (cool)

• pañca-vaktraḥ: five-faced
• pañca-vaktraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (numeral compound): pañca vaktrāṇi yasya

• daśa-bhujaḥ: ten-armed
• daśa-bhujaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa: daśa bhujāḥ yasya

• tri-pañca-nayanaḥ: eight-eyed
• tri-pañca-nayanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + pañca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + nayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa: tri-pañca (=aṣṭa) nayanaṃ yasya (having eight eyes)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditation-mark) of Pati, Shiva: crystal-pure, शांत (prasanna) and cooling—indicating the grace that pacifies pāśa (bondage) and steadies the pashu (individual soul) toward liberation.

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

Though Shiva is ultimately nirguṇa, the Purana gives a saguna form for contemplation. The five faces and many eyes/arms express omniscience and omnipotence—supporting linga-worship by giving devotees a concrete meditative form while honoring Shiva as the supreme Prabhu beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna by visualizing Shiva as śuddha-sphaṭika (pure crystal) with cool radiance, then japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to stabilize the mind and invoke Shiva’s anugraha (grace).