Shloka 73

Kālajñāna (Knowledge of Time) and Mṛtyu-cihna (Signs of Death): Śiva’s Instruction to Umā

Devanagari script

दक्षिणः कथितः प्राणो मध्यस्थं कथयामि ते । एकभागगतो वायुप्रवाहो मुखमण्डले

Transliteration

dakṣiṇaḥ kathitaḥ prāṇo madhyasthaṃ kathayāmi te | ekabhāgagato vāyupravāho mukhamaṇḍale

Translation

வலப்புற ஓட்டம் ‘பிராணன்’ எனக் கூறப்பட்டது. இப்போது நடுவில் இருப்பதைக் கூறுகிறேன்—முகமண்டலத்தில் காற்றின் ஓட்டம் ஒரே தொடர்ச்சியான ஓடையாகச் செல்கிறது.

Word by Word

• दक्षिणः: right (side)
• दक्षिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying प्राणः

• कथितः: is said; has been stated
• कथितः: Kriya (क्रिया/implicit 'is said')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative, Singular; agrees with प्राणः

• प्राणः: the prāṇa (vital breath)
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• मध्यस्थम्: the middle-positioned (one)
• मध्यस्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as object of कथयामि

• कथयामि: I tell; I explain
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिजन्त from कथ्)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic form

• एक-भाग-गतः: gone to one part; confined to one section
• एक-भाग-गतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त, क्त from गम्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative, Singular; समासः: एकभागगत (तत्पुरुष; 'एकस्मिन् भागे गतः'); agrees with वायुप्रवाहः

• वायु-प्रवाहः: the flow of air
• वायु-प्रवाहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः: वायुप्रवाह (तत्पुरुष)

• मुख-मण्डले: in the facial region
• मुख-मण्डले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समासः: मुखमण्डल (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames breath-awareness as a Shaiva yogic discipline: by recognizing and steadying the currents of prāṇa, the seeker gathers the mind toward the centered state that supports Śiva-realization and liberation.

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

In Shaiva practice, inner steadiness supports outer worship: regulating the breath makes japa and dhyāna on the Liṅga more one-pointed, turning ritual into inward offering where prāṇa itself becomes upacāra (service) to Saguna Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple takeaway is mindful prāṇāyāma with attention to a unified airflow in the facial region, then continuing with steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the mind becomes centered.