Shloka 140

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

अध्यक्षं शिवधर्मेषु प्रदक्षिणमितीरितम् । क्रियया जपरूपं हि प्रणवं तु प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

adhyakṣaṃ śivadharmeṣu pradakṣiṇamitīritam | kriyayā japarūpaṃ hi praṇavaṃ tu pradakṣiṇam

Translation

ശിവധർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ ‘പ്രദക്ഷിണം’ എന്നു പറയുന്നത്, ഭഗവാനെ കേന്ദ്രമായി അധിഷ്ഠാതാവായി കരുതി ചുറ്റിവരിക എന്നതാണ്. ആചരണത്തിൽ അത് ജപസ്വരൂപമാണ്; വാസ്തവത്തിൽ പ്രണവം ‘ഓം’ ഉച്ചരിക്കുന്നതും പ്രദക്ഷിണം തന്നെയാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अध्यक्षम्: presiding / chief
• अध्यक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• शिव-धर्मेषु: among Śiva-related dharmas/practices
• शिव-धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य धर्माः)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• ईरितम्: is declared
• ईरितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) [कर्मणि क्त]
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘declared’

• क्रियया: by action/ritual performance
• क्रियया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• जप-रूपम्: having the form of japa (muttering)
• जप-रूपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जपस्य रूपम् = having the form of japa)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Om)
• प्रणवम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/and indeed
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय-निपात (contrastive particle)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: (is) circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Defines pradakṣiṇā as centering the Lord as adhyakṣa (presiding axis) and equates it with japa—especially praṇava—supporting temple praxis where circumambulation is synchronized with mantra.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true pradakṣiṇā is not only a physical circling of the Liṅga, but an inner turning of awareness around Śiva as the central Lord (Pati), making worship steady and one-pointed through mantra.

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

Circumambulating the Śiva-liṅga is affirmed, but the verse elevates it by stating that japa—especially of Oṁ—functions as an inner pradakṣiṇā, integrating external Saguna worship with inward contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform pradakṣiṇā with continuous mantra-japa; specifically, recite the Praṇava (Oṁ) as a meditative circumambulation, keeping Śiva as the unmoving center of attention.