Shloka 32

यक्षेश्वरावतारः (Yakṣeśvara-Avatāra) and the Nīlakaṇṭha Paradigm in the Churning of the Ocean

Devanagari script

अस्य मायाप्रभावाद्वै मोहिताः स्वप्रभुं शिवम् । मदतो बुबुधु नैवाद्यापि बोधतनुम्प्रभुम्

Transliteration

asya māyāprabhāvādvai mohitāḥ svaprabhuṃ śivam | madato bubudhu naivādyāpi bodhatanumprabhum

Translation

സത്യമായി, അവന്റെ മായാപ്രഭാവം മൂലം അവർ മോഹിതരായി തങ്ങളുടെ സ്വപ്രഭുവായ ശിവനെ തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞില്ല. അഹങ്കാരവും വിഷയമോഹവും എന്ന മദത്തിൽ മത്തരായി, ശുദ്ധബോധസ്വരൂപനായ ആ പ്രഭുവിനെ ഇന്നും അവർ ഉണർന്ന് അറിയുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• अस्य: of him/this (Lord)
• अस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• माया-प्रभावात्: from (the) power/effect of māyā
• माया-प्रभावात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मायायाः प्रभावः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मोहिताः: deluded
• मोहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• स्व-प्रभुम्: their own Lord
• स्व-प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Karma/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वः प्रभुः)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; स्वप्रभुम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• मदतः: from intoxication/pride
• मदतः: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• बुबुधुः: they realized/understood
• बुबुधुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

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

• बोध-तनुम्-प्रभुम्: the Lord whose body is consciousness
• बोध-तनुम्-प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बोध (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष (बोधः तनुः यस्य सः प्रभुः / or बोधतनुः प्रभुः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya

FAQs

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

It teaches that forgetfulness of Śiva arises from Māyā and ego-intoxication, and liberation begins when one awakens to Śiva as bodha-tanu—pure Consciousness, the true Lord of the soul.

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

Since Māyā clouds recognition of the formless truth, Saguna worship—especially Śiva-liṅga worship—serves as a compassionate support to steady devotion and lead the mind toward realizing Śiva as Consciousness itself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with devotion, coupled with mindful self-inquiry to drop ego-intoxication, is the practical takeaway; simple Śiva-pūjā can anchor this awakening.