Shloka 98

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

प्रागास्य उपविश्याथ दृढचित्तः स्थिरासनः । यथोक्तविधिना सम्यक्प्राणायामत्रयञ्चरेत्

Transliteration

prāgāsya upaviśyātha dṛḍhacittaḥ sthirāsanaḥ | yathoktavidhinā samyakprāṇāyāmatrayañcaret

Translation

Rồi, quay mặt về hướng Đông, người ấy nên ngồi xuống với tâm kiên định trong tư thế vững chắc, và đúng như pháp đã dạy, thực hành prāṇāyāma ba lần một cách trang nghiêm, đúng phép.

Word by Word

• prāk: first/beforehand
• prāk: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāk (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): ‘before/first’

• āsya: mouth/face
• āsya: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘mouth/face’

• upaviśya: having sat down
• upaviśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having sat down’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): ‘then/now’

• dṛḍha-cittaḥ: firm-minded
• dṛḍha-cittaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय समास: ‘firm + mind’ = ‘firm-minded’

• sthira-āsanaḥ: steady-seated
• sthira-āsanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthira (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘steady + seat/posture’ = ‘with steady posture’

• yathā-ukta-vidhinā: by the prescribed method
• yathā-ukta-vidhinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ukta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष समास: ‘as-said method’ → ‘by the prescribed method’; yathā- (indeclinable prefix)

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘properly, correctly’

• prāṇāyāma-trayam: the threefold breath-control
• prāṇāyāma-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇāyāma (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘three (kinds of) prāṇāyāma’

• caret: should practice/perform
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s prescribed yogic discipline to the sages of Naimisharanya, as typical of Purāṇic discourse in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shaiva sādhana as disciplined inner worship: steady posture, oriented reverently (facing east), and regulated breath to purify the mind so it can rest in Shiva-consciousness (Pati-jñāna) rather than being bound by pasha (limitations).

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

Prāṇāyāma is presented as a preparatory limb that steadies attention for focused Linga-dhyāna and saguna upāsanā; the calmed prāṇa supports one-pointed remembrance of Shiva, allowing outer worship to mature into inner contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sit facing east in a stable āsana and perform the threefold prāṇāyāma (inhalation–retention–exhalation) exactly as instructed; this is a direct meditative preparation for mantra-japa (such as the Panchākṣarī) and Shiva-dhyāna.