Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

सर्व्वाधस्ताल्लिखेत्पीठं तदूर्ध्वम्प्रथमं स्वरम् । उवर्णं च तदूर्द्ध्वं स्थम्पवर्गान्तं तदूर्ध्वगम्

Transliteration

sarvvādhastāllikhetpīṭhaṃ tadūrdhvamprathamaṃ svaram | uvarṇaṃ ca tadūrddhvaṃ sthampavargāntaṃ tadūrdhvagam

Translation

ഏറ്റവും താഴെ പീഠം രേഖപ്പെടുത്തണം. അതിന്റെ മുകളിൽ ആദ്യ സ്വരം എഴുതണം; അതിന്റെ മുകളിൽ ‘ഉ’ വർണം; അതിന്റെ മുകളിൽ ‘സ്ഥ’; പിന്നെ അതിന്റെ മുകളിൽ ‘പ’ വർഗ്ഗം മുതൽ അവസാനം വരെ—ക്രമമായി മേലോട്ടു സ്ഥാപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सर्वाधस्तात्: from the very bottom
• सर्वाधस्तात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व+अधस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘from completely below/at the very bottom’

• लिखेत्: should draw/write
• लिखेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विध्यर्थ (should draw/write)

• पीठम्: the pedestal/base
• पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘that’ (referring to the pedestal/previous element)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘above/upwards’

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्वरम् इत्यस्य)

• स्वरम्: vowel/sound
• स्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवर्णम्: the letter ‘u’
• उवर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उ+वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उ इति वर्णः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• स्थम्: placed/standing
• स्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle-like adjectival) ‘standing/placed’—अत्र ‘स्थितम्’ अर्थे

• पवर्गान्तम्: ending with the pa-varga
• पवर्गान्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प-वर्ग+अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पवर्गस्य अन्तः) विशेषणम् (स्थम् इत्यस्य/लिख्यवस्तुनः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऊर्ध्वगम्: going upward/above-going
• ऊर्ध्वगम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व+ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयप्राय (ऊर्ध्वं गच्छति इति) ‘going upward/placed upward’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (instructional discourse in Kailāsasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a disciplined, step-by-step upward arrangement of sacred phonemes over a pedestal, indicating that worship of Shiva is to be performed with ordered awareness—raising the mind from the base (support) toward higher, subtler mantra-principles aligned with Pati (Shiva).

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

The pīṭha (base) and the upward placement of syllables point to a structured form of Saguna worship—supporting concentration on the Linga through mantra/diagrammatic placement (nyāsa-like ordering), where sound (śabda) becomes a means to approach Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a written/drawn mantra arrangement (a yantra/nyāsa-style layout) used during worship—placing specific vowels and consonant groups in ascending order to steady the mind and sanctify the ritual space before japa or Linga-pūjā.