Shloka 2

Paramātma-Svarūpa-Nirṇaya: Strī–Puṃ–Napuṃsaka-Vicāra

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

वामदेव उवाच । ज्ञानशक्तिधर स्वामिन्परमानन्दविग्रह । प्रणवार्थामृतं पीतं श्रीमुखख्जात्परिस्रुतम्

Transliteration

vāmadeva uvāca | jñānaśaktidhara svāminparamānandavigraha | praṇavārthāmṛtaṃ pītaṃ śrīmukhakhjātparisrutam

Translation

ବାମଦେବ କହିଲେ— ହେ ଜ୍ଞାନଶକ୍ତିଧର ସ୍ୱାମିନ୍, ହେ ପରମାନନ୍ଦ-ସ୍ୱରୂପ! ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଶ୍ରୀମୁଖରୁ ପ୍ରସୃତ ପ୍ରଣବ (ଓଁ) ଅର୍ଥରୂପ ଅମୃତକୁ ମୁଁ ପାନ କରିଛି॥

Word by Word

• वामदेवः: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular masculine

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन — ‘said/spoke’

• ज्ञान-शक्ति-धर: O bearer of the power of knowledge
• ज्ञान-शक्ति-धर: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; धृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानशक्तिं धरतीति) — vocative masculine; ‘bearer of the power of knowledge’

• स्वामिन्: O Lord/Master
• स्वामिन्: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular masculine

• परम-आनन्द-विग्रह: O embodiment of supreme bliss
• परम-आनन्द-विग्रह: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परमः आनन्दः यस्य विग्रहः/आनन्दस्य विग्रहः) — vocative masculine

• प्रणव-अर्थ-अमृतम्: the nectar of the meaning of Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-अर्थ-अमृतम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्रणवस्य अर्थः—तस्य अमृतम्) — nominative/accusative singular neuter

• पीतम्: imbibed
• पीतम्: कर्मणि-क्रिया (Passive predicate/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘drunk/imbibed’

• श्री-मुख-जात्: from the auspicious mouth
• श्री-मुख-जात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + जात (कृदन्त; जन् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (श्रीमुखात् जातम्) — Ablative singular neuter; ‘born/issued from the auspicious mouth’

• परिस्रुतम्: flowed forth
• परिस्रुतम्: कर्मणि-क्रिया (Passive predicate/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + स्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘flowed forth/oozed out’

Speaker

Vamadeva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: Oṃ (praṇava) — implied as the source/essence being ‘drunk’ as nectar (praṇavārthāmṛta).

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vamadeva
• Om (Pranava)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the Lord whose essence is bliss and whose grace transmits liberating knowledge. The “nectar of the meaning of Oṃ” signifies direct spiritual insight received through Shiva’s revelation, leading the soul (paśu) toward release from bondage (pāśa).

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

Although phrased as a philosophical praise, it supports Saguna worship by affirming Shiva’s auspicious “mouth” and communicative grace—Shiva as the personal Lord who reveals the pranava-meaning. In Linga worship, Oṃ and the Panchākṣarī are central; this verse frames them as Shiva’s own outflow of wisdom.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Praṇava (Oṃ) as Shiva’s revealed essence, and pair it with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that true understanding arises by Shiva’s grace. This is especially aligned with daily Shiva-pūjā and Mahāśivarātri vrata observances.