Shloka 23

छायापुरुषलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Marks of the Shadow-Person

Devanagari script

संवित्तिर्लभ्यतेऽभ्यासादभ्यासान्मोक्षमश्नुते । अभ्यासस्सततं कार्यो धीमता मोक्षकारणम्

Transliteration

saṃvittirlabhyate'bhyāsādabhyāsānmokṣamaśnute | abhyāsassatataṃ kāryo dhīmatā mokṣakāraṇam

Translation

अभ्यासानेच खरी संवित् (आत्मबोध) मिळतो आणि त्याच अभ्यासाने मोक्ष प्राप्त होतो। म्हणून विवेकी साधकाने सतत अभ्यास करावा; तोच मोक्षाचे कारण आहे।

Word by Word

• संवित्तिः: true awareness/realization
• संवित्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवित्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• अभ्यासात्: from practice
• अभ्यासात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यासात्: from practice
• अभ्यासात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains
• अश्नुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अभ्यासः: practice
• अभ्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण)

• कार्यः: to be done/should be done
• कार्यः: Vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective): 'to be done'

• धीमता: by the intelligent person
• धीमता: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-सम्बन्धे साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोक्षकारणम्: cause of liberation
• मोक्षकारणम्: Hetu/Predicate (हेतु/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: मोक्षस्य कारणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-रूपेण (as predicate)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is not accidental but arises from sustained sādhana: continuous practice ripens inner awareness (saṃvitti), and that awakened awareness culminates in mokṣa under Shiva’s grace.

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

Regular Linga-upāsanā—daily pūjā, japa, and dhyāna—functions as the “abhyāsa” spoken of here: by repeatedly turning the mind to Saguna Shiva, the devotee’s consciousness becomes purified and steady, opening to the highest realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A consistent daily discipline: Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), Linga-dhyāna, and simple Shiva worship with bhasma and/or rudrākṣa as supportive aids—done continuously rather than occasionally.