Shloka 41

शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”

Devanagari script

श्रूयतां चैव भो ब्रह्मन्यद्गोप्यं कथ्यते मया । भवंतौ प्रकृतेर्यातौ नायं वै प्रकृतेः पुनः

Transliteration

śrūyatāṃ caiva bho brahmanyadgopyaṃ kathyate mayā | bhavaṃtau prakṛteryātau nāyaṃ vai prakṛteḥ punaḥ

Translation

โอ พราหมณ์ จงฟัง—เราจะกล่าวความลับให้รู้ ท่านทั้งสองเกิดจากปรกฤติ; แต่ผู้นี้ (พระเป็นเจ้า) หาได้เกิดซ้ำจากปรกฤติไม่।

Word by Word

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard; listen
• श्रूयताम्: आज्ञार्थक क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive/impersonal sense): ‘let it be heard / please listen’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• भो: O!
• भो: सम्बोधन
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (often used as address), सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as vocative address

• यत्: which; that
• यत्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम ‘which/that’

• गोप्यम्: secret; to be kept hidden
• गोप्यम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √गुप् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be concealed/secret’

• कथ्यते: is told
• कथ्यते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘is being told’

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental): ‘by me’

• भवन्तौ: you two (honored)
• भवन्तौ: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन, द्विवचन; आदरार्थक ‘you two’

• प्रकृतेः: from Prakṛti (Nature)
• प्रकृतेः: अपादान (source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative): ‘from Prakṛti’

• यातौ: gone; arisen
• यातौ: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय
• Type: Verb
• Root: यात (कृदन्त; √या धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; used predicatively: ‘(you two) have gone/come forth’

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘this (one)’

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti
• प्रकृतेः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive): ‘of Prakṛti’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: again)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (inferred, teaching Brahma within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Prakriti

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the Prakṛti-born order (conditioned beings and cosmic functions) from the reality that is not produced by Prakṛti—pointing to Shiva as Pati, the transcendent Lord who is not bound by material causation and therefore is the refuge for liberation.

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

Linga worship centers the mind on Shiva as the source and support of creation yet untouched by Prakṛti. Saguna forms guide devotion, but the verse reminds the devotee that the object of worship ultimately transcends material nature and its cycles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as distinct from Prakṛti by japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and cultivate viveka (discernment) between the changing guṇas of Prakṛti and the unchanging Lord (Pati) whom the Linga signifies.