Shloka 29

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

कैलासप्रस्तरो नाम मण्डलम्परिभाषितम् । अर्चयेन्नित्यमेवैतत्पक्षे वा मासिमासि वा

Transliteration

kailāsaprastaro nāma maṇḍalamparibhāṣitam | arcayennityamevaitatpakṣe vā māsimāsi vā

Translation

Itinakda ang isang banal na maṇḍala na tinatawag na “Kailāsa-prastara.” Dapat itong sambahin nang palagian—araw-araw man, o kahit minsan sa bawat kalahating buwan, o buwan-buwan.

Word by Word

• कैलासप्रस्तरः: the Kailāsa rock-slab/stone platform
• कैलासप्रस्तरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास-प्रस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कैलासस्य प्रस्तरः)

• नाम: called / by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Designation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘called’)

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram (maṇḍala)
• मण्डलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परिभाषितम्: is defined/termed
• परिभाषितम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-भाष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मण्डलम् इति विशेषणम्

• अर्चयेत्: one should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Vidhi (विधि/Instruction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always / daily
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• एतत्: this (maṇḍala/thing)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पक्षे: in a fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Nipata (निपात/Disjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• मासि: in a month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मासि: month by month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

• वा: or
• वा: Nipata (निपात/Disjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed worship as taught in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā tradition)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga-sthala; ‘Kailāsa-prastara’ is a prescribed maṇḍala/altar pattern evoking Kailāsa as Śiva’s cosmic abode, used to stabilize daily/periodic worship.

Significance: Merit accrues through regularity (nitya/naimittika) and maintaining continuity of Śiva-sambandha; the maṇḍala functions as a portable ‘Kailāsa’ for the householder/ritualist.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kailasa

FAQs

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

It emphasizes niyama (regular discipline) in Shiva-upāsanā: steady, repeated worship purifies the paśu (bound soul) and turns the mind toward Pati (Śiva), supporting liberation through devotion and right practice.

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

The “Kailāsa-prastara” maṇḍala functions as a sacred support for Saguna worship—an ordered ritual space where Śiva is approached through arcana, similar in intent to Liṅga-pūjā that stabilizes attention and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform regular arcana to Śiva using a prescribed maṇḍala—ideally daily; otherwise observe a consistent schedule (fortnightly or monthly), maintaining purity, mantra-japa, and focused worship.