Shloka 13

Ṣaḍvidhārtha-Parijñāna: Praṇavārtha and the Sixfold Unity of Meaning (षड्विधार्थपरिज्ञानम् / प्रणवार्थपरिज्ञानम्)

Devanagari script

आद्यस्स्वरः पंचमश्च पञ्चमान्तस्ततः परः । बिन्दुनादौ च पञ्चार्णाः प्रोक्ता वेदैर्न चान्यथा

Transliteration

ādyassvaraḥ paṃcamaśca pañcamāntastataḥ paraḥ | bindunādau ca pañcārṇāḥ proktā vedairna cānyathā

Translation

原初之元音之声、第五音，以及以第五而终者——超越于此；并且还有点（Bindu）与音流（Nāda）：如是五圣音节为吠陀所宣说，别无他法。

Word by Word

• आद्यः: first/initial
• आद्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying स्वरः

• स्वरः: sound/vowel tone
• स्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal used substantively

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• पञ्चम-अन्तः: ending with the fifth
• पञ्चम-अन्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘पञ्चमः अन्तः यस्य’ / ‘ending in the fifth’

• ततः: thereafter/then
• ततः: Kāla/Anukrama (क्रम/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• परः: next/other
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• बिन्दु-नादौ: in bindu and nāda
• बिन्दु-नादौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: ‘बिन्दुश्च नादश्च’ (in bindu and nāda)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• पञ्च-अर्णाः: five syllables/letters
• पञ्च-अर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; द्विगु: ‘पञ्च अर्णाः’ (five syllables/letters)

• प्रोक्ताः: are declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘are declared’

• वेदैः: by the Vedas
• वेदैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Kailāsa discourse to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied pañcākṣarī) नमः शिवाय / namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It presents the pañcākṣarī (five-syllable) mantra as Veda-grounded and as a union of articulated sound (svara) with subtle inner vibration (nāda) and seed-point awareness (bindu), guiding the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati).

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

In Śaiva Siddhānta practice, the Linga is worshipped with mantra as its living sound-body; the verse indicates that the five syllables, supported by nāda-bindu contemplation, make Saguna worship efficacious and lead the devotee toward the transcendent (para) reality of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the pañcākṣarī with attention to sound (intonation), and inward meditation on nāda and bindu—often done before the Linga with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supportive Śaiva observances.