Shloka 19

Śiva-jñāna and the Non-dual Vision of a Śiva-maya Universe (शिवज्ञानम्—सर्वं शिवमयम्)

Devanagari script

ज्ञानी च बीजमेव स्यात्प्ररोहो विकृतीर्मता । तन्निवृत्तौ पुनर्ज्ञानी नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

jñānī ca bījameva syātpraroho vikṛtīrmatā | tannivṛttau punarjñānī nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

ญาณีเปรียบดังเมล็ด ส่วนหน่อถือเป็นวิกฤติ (ความแปรเปลี่ยนที่ปรากฏ) ครั้นเมื่อสิ่งนั้นสงบดับลง ก็เหลือเพียงญาณีอีกครั้ง—ไม่จำเป็นต้องไตร่ตรองต่อไป

Word by Word

• ज्ञानी: the knower/wise one
• ज्ञानी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• बीजम्: seed
• बीजम्: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (उपमान/Predicate nominative)

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्ररोहः: sprout
• प्ररोहः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; second clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्ररोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विकृतिः: modification
• विकृतिः: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मता: considered (to be)
• मता: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘मत’ = ‘considered’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विकृतिः-विशेषण)

• तत्-निवृत्तौ: upon its cessation
• तत्-निवृत्तौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + निवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘its cessation’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुनः: again/then
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (again/then)

• ज्ञानी: the knower
• ज्ञानी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb ‘here/in this matter’)

• कार्या: to be done/necessary
• कार्या: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• विचारणा: inquiry/deliberation
• विचारणा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of implied ‘is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Defines the spiritual aim: the jñānī abides as the stable ‘seed’ (steadfast awareness) when vikṛti subsides—aligning pilgrimage with inner nivṛtti and receptivity to Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the realized knower is the stable ground (like a seed), while the changing world-experience is a temporary manifestation (sprout). With the withdrawal of modifications, steady awareness remains—supporting the Shaiva aim of liberation through cessation of bondage (pāśa).

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to move from external forms (manifest vikṛti) toward the formless reality of Shiva (Pati). The verse aligns with the inward movement from Saguna supports to the recognition of the underlying, unchanging consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and steady contemplation on Shiva as the inner witness are implied. As supportive Shaiva practice, one may combine japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa to stabilize the mind toward cessation of modifications.