Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 80

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

Devanagari script

नमस्कारस्तदूर्ध्वं हि मदाहंकारनाशनः । जनिजं वै तिरोधानं नानिषिद्ध्यातते इति

Transliteration

namaskārastadūrdhvaṃ hi madāhaṃkāranāśanaḥ | janijaṃ vai tirodhānaṃ nāniṣiddhyātate iti

Translation

At pagkaraan nito, ang pagpapatirapa (namaskāra) ay tunay na sumisira sa pagmamataas at sa pagkapit sa ‘ako’. Inaalis nito ang likás na pagtabing (tirodhāna) na bunga ng pagkatawang-tao, kaya ang naghahanap ay hindi nahahadlangan sa landas ng pagsamba at pagsasakatuparan.

Word by Word

• नमस्कारः: salutation
• नमस्कारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (directional)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात)

• मद-अहंकार-नाशनः: destroying pride and ego
• मद-अहंकार-नाशनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक) + अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative): 'destroyer of pride and ego'

• जनिजम्: born/produced (from birth)
• जनिजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जनिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; used adjectivally

• वै: indeed / surely
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात), emphatic

• तिरोधानम्: concealment / veiling
• तिरोधानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरोधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular

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

• अनिषिद्ध्या: by (its being) not forbidden
• अनिषिद्ध्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिषिद्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Singular; from अनिषिद्धि/अनिषिद्ध्या ‘non-prohibition/being not forbidden’

• आतते: spreads / extends
• आतते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तन् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; from आ-√तन्

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable quotative particle

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere prostration is not mere etiquette: it is a spiritual discipline that dissolves pride and ego, helping remove the veiling power (tirodhāna) that hides Shiva-consciousness.

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

In Linga-worship, namaskāra expresses surrender to Saguna Shiva; that humility purifies the heart so the devotee can move from outer ritual to inner recognition of Shiva as Pati (the Lord) beyond the pasha of ego.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform namaskāra with awareness—ideally after mantra-japa (such as the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as an ego-releasing act, mentally offering the sense of “I” at Shiva’s feet.