Shloka 4

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

न जानति परं साक्षात्प्रणवार्थम्महेश्वरम् । सगुणन्निर्गुणं ब्रह्म त्रिदेवजनकम्परम्

Transliteration

na jānati paraṃ sākṣātpraṇavārthammaheśvaram | saguṇannirguṇaṃ brahma tridevajanakamparam

Translation

അവൻ പരമത്തെ സാക്ഷാത് അറിയുന്നില്ല—പ്രണവം (ഓം) എന്നതിന്റെ അർത്ഥസ്വരൂപനായ മഹേശ്വരനെ; സഗുണ-നിർഗുണ ബ്രഹ്മമായ, പരമതത്ത്വമായ, ത്രിദേവജനകനായ അവനെ.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• जानति: knows
• जानति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रणव-अर्थम्: the meaning of Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of praṇava’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• स-गुणम्: qualified (with attributes)
• स-गुणम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: ‘with qualities’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्गुणम्: attribute-less
• निर्गुणम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• त्रि-देव-जनकम्: father of the three gods
• त्रि-देव-जनकम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of the three gods’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava) — implicitly referenced as praṇavārtha (the meaning of Oṃ)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares that true knowledge is recognizing Śiva as the direct, living reality behind Oṁ—Supreme Brahman who is both manifest (saguṇa) for devotion and transcendent (nirguṇa) for liberation.

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

By affirming Śiva as saguṇa, it supports worship through accessible forms—especially the Śiva-liṅga—while teaching that the same Lord is ultimately nirguṇa beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Praṇava (Oṁ) as Śiva’s essence and combine it with japa of “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya,” holding the understanding that the mantra leads from form-based devotion to realization of the formless Supreme.