Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 14

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

निष्कलस्सर्व्वदेवानामादिदेवस्सनातनः । ज्ञानक्रियास्वभावो यः पर मात्मेति गीयते

Transliteration

niṣkalassarvvadevānāmādidevassanātanaḥ | jñānakriyāsvabhāvo yaḥ para mātmeti gīyate

Translation

祂是无分的尼什迦罗（Niṣkala），为诸天之天、元初而永恒的神。其自性即觉知（jñāna）与神圣行作（kriyā）者，被歌颂为至上我——Paramātmā。

Word by Word

• निष्कलः: partless; without parts
• निष्कलः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: सर्वे देवाः (all gods)

• आदिदेवः: the primordial god
• आदिदेवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: आदिः देवः (the first/prime deity)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ज्ञानक्रियास्वभावः: one whose nature is knowledge and action
• ज्ञानक्रियास्वभावः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + क्रिया + स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ज्ञान-क्रिया-स्वभावः (whose nature is knowledge and action)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: प्रत्ययार्थ/विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परमः आत्मा (supreme self)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: उद्धरण/निगमन (quotative particle)

• गीयते: is sung; is called
• गीयते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: गै/गाय् (to sing/praise)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailāsa-saṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as Niṣkala—beyond parts and limiting attributes—yet the very ground of consciousness and divine power. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this points to Pati (Shiva) as the supreme reality who grants liberation by removing bondage (pāśa) and awakening true knowledge.

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

Though Shiva is praised here as the formless Supreme Self, the Śiva-liṅga is a sacred support for meditation on that same reality. Saguna worship (with form) steadies devotion and concentration, leading the devotee toward realization of the Niṣkala (form-transcending) Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner Paramātmā while japa-ing the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"). Pair it with simple Shaiva observances such as applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and maintaining purity and steadiness in worship.