Shloka 68

प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva

Devanagari script

आधारशक्तिमारभ्य त्रितत्वांतमयं पदम् । विचिन्त्य मध्यतस्तस्य दहरं व्योम भावयेत्

Transliteration

ādhāraśaktimārabhya tritatvāṃtamayaṃ padam | vicintya madhyatastasya daharaṃ vyoma bhāvayet

Translation

ఆధారశక్తి నుండి ఆరంభించి త్రితత్త్వాంతమయ్యే ఆ పదాన్ని విచారించి; అనంతరం దాని మధ్యలోని దహరవ్యోమాన్ని—సూక్ష్మ అంతరాకాశాన్ని—భావించి ధ్యానించాలి।

Word by Word

• आधारशक्तिम्: the supporting power (Ādhāra-śakti)
• आधारशक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आधारस्य शक्तिः’

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √रभ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘beginning from/starting with’

• त्रितत्त्वान्तमयम्: consisting up to the three tattvas
• त्रितत्त्वान्तमयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + तत्त्व + अन्त + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘त्रितत्त्वान्तं यत्, तन्मयम्’ = consisting up to the three tattvas

• पदम्: the locus/step (state)
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• विचिन्त्य: having contemplated
• विचिन्त्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having contemplated’

• मध्यतः: in the middle
• मध्यतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘in the middle/centrally’

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• दहरम्: small/subtle
• दहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘व्योम’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• व्योम: space (inner sky)
• व्योम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• भावयेत्: should contemplate/visualize
• भावयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु) (भावयति-णिजन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative) ‘to contemplate/bring to mind’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Maps the inward ascent from foundational Śakti through tattva-level contemplation toward the ‘dahara’ space; supports discrimination of pāśa (tattvas/māyā) and turning toward Pati beyond concealment.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points the seeker inward: after mapping the ascent through foundational śakti and tattva-principles, one is instructed to rest awareness in the heart’s subtle expanse (dahara-ākāśa), where Shiva is realized as the indwelling Pati beyond bondage.

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

The verse supports internalized Linga-worship: the ‘padam’ is contemplated as a sacred locus culminating in higher principles, and the meditator then focuses on the center—treating the heart-space as the inner shrine where Saguna Shiva is approached and finally transcended toward the subtler realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A yogic visualization: contemplate the ascent from the supporting śakti through tattvas, then concentrate on the midpoint/center and meditate on the dahara-ākāśa (inner ether) in the heart—steady, subtle, and Shiva-oriented.