Shloka 37

अद्वैतशैवसिद्धान्ते पुरुष-प्रकृति-विचारः

Puruṣa–Prakṛti Analysis in Advaita Śaiva Doctrine

Devanagari script

आचार्य्य रूपया विप्र संछिन्नाखिलबन्धनः । शिशुः शिवपदासक्तो गुर्वात्मा भवति धुवम्

Transliteration

ācāryya rūpayā vipra saṃchinnākhilabandhanaḥ | śiśuḥ śivapadāsakto gurvātmā bhavati dhuvam

Translation

హే విప్రా! ఆచార్యరూపుడైన గురువలన సమస్త బంధనములు పూర్తిగా ఛేదింపబడును. శివపదమున ఆసక్తుడైన శిశువుకూడా నిశ్చయంగా గురుతత్త్వములో స్థితుడై (గుర్వాత్మ) అవుతాడు.

Word by Word

• ācārya-rūpayā: by the teacher’s form/agency
• ācārya-rūpayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācārya + rūpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—आचार्यस्य रूपया (by the form/agency of the teacher)

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• saṃchinna-akhila-bandhanaḥ: with all bonds severed
• saṃchinna-akhila-bandhanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃchinna + akhila + bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (past passive participle sense): अखिलानि बन्धनानि यस्य संछिन्नानि (whose all bonds are cut off)

• śiśuḥ: a child
• śiśuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śiva-pada-āsaktaḥ: devoted to Śiva’s feet
• śiva-pada-āsaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva + pada + āsakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषप्रायः—शिवपदे आसक्तः (attached to Śiva’s feet/state)

• guru-ātmā: guru-natured
• guru-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—गुरुः आत्मा यस्य / गुरु-स्वभावः (having the nature of a guru)

• bhavati: becomes
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• dhuvam: certainly
• dhuvam: Prayojana/Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial accusative), अर्थे—निश्चितम् (certainly)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s guru-centered teaching within the Kailasa Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru (Acharya)

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is catalyzed by the Guru (ācārya) who severs bondage (pāśa), and that sincere devotion to Śiva—even in a child—can mature into firm establishment in the liberating Guru-principle leading to Śiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, the Guru transmits right worship and right vision of Saguna Śiva (including Linga-upāsanā) so that devotion to Śiva’s feet becomes steady; through such guided worship, the soul’s bonds are loosened and cut, revealing Śiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Guru-bhakti with disciplined devotion to Śiva’s feet: daily mantra-japa (especially pañcākṣarī—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), reverent Linga-pūjā as taught by the ācārya, and contemplative remembrance that the Guru is the doorway to Śiva’s grace.