Shloka 67

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

Inquiry into the Supreme Self and Gendered Forms

Devanagari script

भूतपञ्चकरूपोऽयम्प्रपञ्चः परिकीर्त्यते । विराट् सर्वसमष्ट्यात्मा ब्रह्माण्डमिति च स्फुटम्

Transliteration

bhūtapañcakarūpo'yamprapañcaḥ parikīrtyate | virāṭ sarvasamaṣṭyātmā brahmāṇḍamiti ca sphuṭam

Translation

จักรวาลที่ปรากฏนี้กล่าวกันว่าเป็นรูปแห่งมหาภูตะทั้งห้า และพระวิราฏ ผู้เป็นอาตมันรวมแห่งสรรพสมุฏฐิทั้งปวง ถูกกล่าวอย่างชัดเจนว่าเป็น “พรหมาณฑะ” คือไข่จักรวาล

Word by Word

• भूतपञ्चकरूपः: having the form of the five elements
• भूतपञ्चकरूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत + पञ्चक + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतपञ्चकस्य रूपः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रपञ्चः: manifest world, expansion
• प्रपञ्चः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परिकीर्त्यते: is called/declared
• परिकीर्त्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• विराट्: Virāṭ (the cosmic being)
• विराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वसमष्ट्यात्मा: the Self of the total aggregate
• सर्वसमष्ट्यात्मा: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + समष्टि + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वसमष्टेः आत्मा)

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: cosmic egg; universe
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः अण्डम्)

• इति: thus, as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्फुटम्: clearly, distinctly
• स्फुटम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: brahmāṇḍa/virāṭ conception (samaṣṭi-body of the universe)

Characters & Entities

• Virāṭ
• Brahmāṇḍa
• Pañcabhūtas

FAQs

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

It frames the entire world as a pañcabhūta-based manifestation while pointing to a unifying cosmic principle (Virāṭ). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, this supports discerning the seen world (pāśa) and seeking the transcendent Lord (Pati) who enables liberation beyond elemental limitation.

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

Virāṭ and Brahmāṇḍa describe the universe as a sacred, ordered whole—an entry point for saguna contemplation. Linga-worship similarly uses a visible support to contemplate Shiva as the ground of the cosmos, ultimately leading the devotee from form-based meditation to the formless Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is pañcabhūta-śuddhi (purification of the five elements) through japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” combined with steady Linga-dhyāna—seeing the entire Brahmāṇḍa as upheld by Shiva and offering the elements back to Him in inner worship.