Shloka 67

न्यासवर्णनम् (Nyāsa-varṇanam) — Description of Nyāsa in the Saṃnyāsa Procedure

Devanagari script

उकारं विष्णुसहितं शिरोदेशे प्रविन्यसेत् । मकारं रुद्रसहितं शिखायान्तु प्रविन्यसेत्

Transliteration

ukāraṃ viṣṇusahitaṃ śirodeśe pravinyaset | makāraṃ rudrasahitaṃ śikhāyāntu pravinyaset

Translation

उकारं विष्णुसहितं शिरसि विन्यसेत्। मकारं रुद्रसहितं शिखायां तु विन्यसेत्॥

Word by Word

• उकारम्: the syllable ‘u’ (ukāra)
• उकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विष्णु-सहितम्: together with Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-सहितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-सम्बन्धः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with उकारम्

• शिरो-देशे: in the head-region
• शिरो-देशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘शिरसः देशः’); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रविन्यसेत्: should place/assign
• प्रविन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वि-√न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

• मकारम्: the syllable ‘m’ (makāra)
• मकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रुद्र-सहितम्: together with Rudra
• रुद्र-सहितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-सम्बन्धः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with मकारम्

• शिखायाम्: in the topknot/crown (śikhā)
• शिखायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; feminine, Locative, Singular

• तु: indeed/and (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक (particle)

• प्रविन्यसेत्: should place/assign
• प्रविन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वि-√न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śaiva ritual instruction as taught in the Kailāsa tradition)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ukāra (with Viṣṇu); makāra (with Rudra)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-nyāsa—internalizing sacred sound by placing syllables on the body—so the sādhaka’s awareness becomes a living altar, aligning the head and śikhā with divine powers while centering devotion toward Rudra as Pati.

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

Nyāsa supports Saguna worship by consecrating the practitioner’s body as fit for Śiva-pūjā; this inner consecration complements external Linga worship, making the offering mentally pure and ritually complete.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform syllable-nyāsa: meditate on “u” with Viṣṇu at the head region and “ma” with Rudra at the śikhā, as part of mantra-japa and preparatory rites before Śiva worship.