Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

गुरोः समीपं गत्वाथ दण्डवत्प्रणमेत्त्रयम् । समुत्थाय ततस्तिष्ठेद्गुरुपादसमीपतः

Transliteration

guroḥ samīpaṃ gatvātha daṇḍavatpraṇamettrayam | samutthāya tatastiṣṭhedgurupādasamīpataḥ

Translation

Paglapit sa Guru, dapat magpatirapa nang lubos na parang tungkod (daṇḍavat) nang tatlong ulit. Pagkatapos, tumindig at manatiling nakatayo malapit sa mga paa ng Guru.

Word by Word

• guroḥ: of the guru
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• samīpam: near (to the presence)
• samīpam: Karma/Gati (कर्म/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as goal

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having gone

• atha: then
• atha: Anantarya (अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; sequential particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• daṇḍavat: like a staff (prostrating fully)
• daṇḍavat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daṇḍavat (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb (रीत्यर्थक): 'like a staff'

• praṇamet: should bow/prostrate
• praṇamet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇam (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• trayam: three times / a triad
• trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; numeral used as object

• samutthāya: having stood up
• samutthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-thā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having risen

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of sequence

• tiṣṭhet: should stand
• tiṣṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• guru-pāda-samīpataḥ: near the guru's feet
• guru-pāda-samīpataḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + samīpatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; ablatival adverb (तसिल्): 'from/at the vicinity of the guru's feet'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches vinaya (humility) and śaraṇāgati (surrender): the seeker approaches the Guru with total reverence, which purifies ego—the primary pasha (bond) obstructing Shiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, the Guru transmits right understanding and method for Linga/Saguna Shiva worship; honoring the Guru’s feet is honoring the channel through which Shiva’s grace and correct ritual-jñāna flow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A concrete practice is daṇḍavat praṇāma with focused remembrance of Shiva and then standing attentively near the Guru for instruction—an inner discipline that supports mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) and regulated worship.