Shloka 59

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

आकण्ठं विद्यया तद्वदाललाटं तु शान्तया । तदूर्ध्वं शान्त्यतीताख्यकलया परया तथा

Transliteration

ākaṇṭhaṃ vidyayā tadvadālalāṭaṃ tu śāntayā | tadūrdhvaṃ śāntyatītākhyakalayā parayā tathā

Translation

Hingga ke kerongkong, hendaklah ia merenung kehadiran Tuhan melalui Vidyā; demikian juga pada dahi melalui Śānti. Di atasnya pula, hendaklah ia bermeditasi melalui Kuasa tertinggi (Kalā) bernama Śāntyatītā, yang melampaui bahkan kedamaian.

Word by Word

• ā-kaṇṭham: up to the throat
• ā-kaṇṭham: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः—‘कण्ठपर्यन्तम्’ (up to the throat)

• vidyayā: by/with knowledge
• vidyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विधेय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यतासूचक (in the same manner/likewise)

• ā-lalāṭam: up to the forehead
• ā-lalāṭam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: lalāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः—‘ललाटपर्यन्तम्’ (up to the forehead)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• śāntayā: by/with peace (śānti)
• śāntayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• tad-ūrdhvam: above that
• tad-ūrdhvam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (तद् + ऊर्ध्वम्); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः—‘तस्य ऊर्ध्वम्’ (above that)

• śānti-atīta-ākhya-kalayā: by the kalā called ‘beyond śānti’
• śānti-atīta-ākhya-kalayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (कृदन्त; √i/atī ‘to go beyond’) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः): ‘शान्त्यतीता-आख्या’ इति विशेषणैः ‘कलया’ (by the kalā called “beyond śānti”)

• parayā: supreme
• parayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ‘kalayā’)

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps an inner ascent of consciousness through increasingly subtle śaktis (kalās)—from Vidyā (illumining knowledge) to Śānti (quiescence) and finally to Śāntyatītā, indicating liberation that surpasses even tranquil states and culminates in nearness to Pati (Shiva).

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

It supports Saguna-upāsanā as an inward dhyāna: the devotee contemplates Shiva’s presence in graded centers, refining attention from embodied awareness toward the transcendence signified by the Linga—Shiva as the supreme reality beyond all limiting states.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna practice of progressive contemplation: focus awareness up to the throat with Vidyā, at the forehead with Śānti, and then meditate above (beyond mental quietude) on the supreme Śāntyatītā—ideally supported by japa of Om Namaḥ Śivāya and steady, sattvic breath.