Shloka 31

उपमन्युकुमारस्य क्षीरार्थ-प्रार्थना तथा शिवप्रसाद-निबन्धनम् | Upamanyu’s Longing for Milk and the Doctrine of Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

सदसद्व्यक्तमव्यक्तं यमाहुर्ब्रह्मवादिनः । नित्यमेकमनेकं च वरं तस्माद्वृणोम्यहम्

Transliteration

sadasadvyaktamavyaktaṃ yamāhurbrahmavādinaḥ | nityamekamanekaṃ ca varaṃ tasmādvṛṇomyaham

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മവാദികൾ ആരെ സത്-അസത്, വ്യക്ത-അവ്യക്ത, നിത്യൻ—ഏകനും അനേകനും എന്നു പറയുന്നു, ആ പരമ വരം തന്നെയാണ് ഞാൻ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നത്।

Word by Word

• सत्: being/existent
• सत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक; √अस् + शतृ/सत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (द्वन्द्व-समुच्चयार्थे ‘सत् असत्’ युग्म)

• असत्: non-being/nonexistent
• असत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्यक्तम्: manifest
• व्यक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √व्यञ्ज् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• आहुः: they call/say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आहुः-रूप)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: the Brahman-expounders
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणि वादिनः = expounders of Brahman)

• नित्यम्: eternal
• नित्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनेकम्: many
• अनेकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• वृणोमि: I choose
• वृणोमि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; वृणुते/वृणोति)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

A devotee/supplicant addressing Lord Shiva (as narrated within the Shatarudrasaṃhitā discourse, traditionally relayed by Suta Goswami)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the Supreme Reality who transcends all opposites—manifest/unmanifest and one/many—so the highest “boon” is choosing Him alone as the goal, leading toward liberation (moksha).

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

The verse supports both approaches: Shiva is worshiped as Saguna (manifest—Linga, forms, names) while remaining Nirguna (unmanifest, beyond form). Linga worship becomes a gateway to realizing the formless Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Single-pointed Shiva-upāsanā: meditate on Shiva as both manifest and unmanifest while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by traditional aids like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa for steadiness in devotion.