Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नामैकविंशो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / शिवार्चनं प्रवक्ष्यामि बुक्तिमुक्तिकरं परम् / शान्तं सर्वगतं शून्यं मात्राद्वादशके स्थितम्

Transliteration

nāmaikaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / śivārcanaṃ pravakṣyāmi buktimuktikaraṃ param / śāntaṃ sarvagataṃ śūnyaṃ mātrādvādaśake sthitam

Translation

سوت نے کہا—میں شِو کی پرم آرچنا بیان کرتا ہوں جو بھوگ اور موکش دونوں عطا کرتی ہے؛ (شِو) شانت، سَروَگَت، شُونْیَ سَدْرِش (نِرگُن)، اور دوادش ماترا میں مستقر ہے۔

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Sambandha (Heading/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; शीर्षक-प्रयोगः (‘नाम’)

• एकविंशः: twenty-first
• एकविंशः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (एक + विंशति)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शिवार्चनम्: worship of Śiva
• शिवार्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवार्चन (प्रातिपदिक) < शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (‘शिवस्य अर्चनम्’)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः प्र-

• भुक्तिमुक्तिकरम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिकरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्तिमुक्तिकर (प्रातिपदिक) < भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘भुक्तिं च मुक्तिं च करोति यत्’)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक) < √शम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• सर्वगतम्: all-pervading
• सर्वगतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वगत (प्रातिपदिक) < सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘सर्वत्र गतः’)

• शून्यम्: void; empty
• शून्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मात्राद्वादशके: in the set of twelve mātrās
• मात्राद्वादशके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्राद्वादशक (प्रातिपदिक) < मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वादशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (‘मात्राणां द्वादशकः’/‘मात्रा-द्वादशके’)

• स्थितम्: situated; abiding
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śiva-arcana as both bhukti and mukti-giving; Śiva characterized as śānta, sarvagata, and ‘śūnya’ (beyond limiting predicates), abiding in a twelvefold mātrā system (sound/measure).

Vedantic Theme: Transcendence of attributes (nirviśeṣa-like language) while allowing worship (saguṇa upāsanā) as a means; śabda-brahma orientation.

Application: Integrate devotion with contemplative insight: perform worship with mantra-awareness, treating sound (mātrā) as a ladder from form to formless stillness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: textual/ritual setting (Sūta’s discourse)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections on mantra, liṅga worship, and phala-śruti for Śiva-arcana in the Brahma-khaṇḍa (contextual).

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the importance of Śivārcana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Śivārcana as a “supreme” practice because it is said to grant both bhukti (worldly well-being) and mukti (liberation), linking devotion with spiritual emancipation.

How does this verse explain the nature of Śiva?

Śiva is described as śānta (tranquil) and sarvagata (all-pervading), and as śūnya—suggesting transcendence beyond limiting attributes—while also being connected to subtle sound/measure (mātrā) as a metaphysical ground.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach worship as both ethical-spiritual discipline and inner transformation: keep regular Śiva devotion (japa, pūjā, or meditation) with a focus on calmness, universality, and detachment from egoic limitations.