Shloka 90

Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā

Devanagari script

सूक्ष्मगंधस्वरूपा हि स्थिता लोकाश्चतुर्दश । पुनः कारणविष्णोर्वै स्थिता लोकाश्चतुर्दश

Transliteration

sūkṣmagaṃdhasvarūpā hi sthitā lokāścaturdaśa | punaḥ kāraṇaviṣṇorvai sthitā lokāścaturdaśa

Translation

แท้จริงแล้ว โลกทั้งสิบสี่ดำรงอยู่ในรูปแห่งกลิ่นอันละเอียด และอีกนัยหนึ่ง โลกทั้งสิบสี่นั้นก็ดำรงอยู่ในวิษณุผู้เป็นเหตุ (การณวิษณุ) ด้วย

Word by Word

• सूक्ष्मगन्धस्वरूपाः: having the nature of subtle smell
• सूक्ष्मगन्धस्वरूपाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म + गन्ध + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (बहुपद: ‘सूक्ष्म-गन्ध-स्वरूप’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)

• स्थिताः: are situated/stand
• स्थिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (तिष्ठति) (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-भावे ‘स्थित’ = ‘are situated/stand’

• लोकाः: worlds
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; द्विगु-समास (14); लोकाः इति पदस्य विशेषण

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• कारणविष्णोः: of the causal Viṣṇu
• कारणविष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘कारणः विष्णुः’ = causal Viṣṇu)

• वै: indeed/certainly
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic/assuring particle)

• स्थिताः: are situated
• स्थिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• लोकाः: worlds
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; द्विगु-समास (14)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Meditation on the worlds as subtle states (tanmātra-like) and as held in a causal preserver principle; encourages detachment from loka-identification and turning toward the Lord who transcends lokas.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Fourteen-loka cosmology referenced

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It points to the cosmos as a subtle, dependently-arisen manifestation: the fourteen worlds are not ultimate, but rest upon deeper causal principles—guiding the seeker to look beyond loka-bound identity toward liberation under Pati (Shiva).

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

By showing that worlds and deities function within a causal order, it supports Linga-worship as a means to approach the supreme ground (Shiva) who transcends and supports all tattvas, including cosmic causes attributed to Viṣṇu.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the impermanence and subtlety of the worlds while repeating the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), cultivating vairāgya and inwardness; offer bhasma/tripuṇḍra as a reminder that all worlds resolve into subtle causes.