Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

वेदादौ च प्रयोज्यं स्याद्वंदने संध्ययोरपि । नवकौटिजपाञ्जप्त्वा संशुद्धः पुरुषो भवेत्

Transliteration

vedādau ca prayojyaṃ syādvaṃdane saṃdhyayorapi | navakauṭijapāñjaptvā saṃśuddhaḥ puruṣo bhavet

Translation

此法应当用于诵读吠陀之初，亦用于黎明与黄昏两次三昧耶（Sandhyā）的礼拜。若能修持念诵（japa）达九俱胝（koṭi），其人便得清净。

Word by Word

• वेदादौ: at the beginning of the Veda
• वेदादौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘वेदः आदिः यस्मिन्’ (at the beginning of the Veda)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• प्रयोज्यम्: to be employed
• प्रयोज्यम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + युज् (धातु) + य (प्रत्यय) → प्रयोज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be employed/used)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वंदने: in salutation/worship
• वंदने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• संध्ययोः: at the two twilight times (morning & evening)
• संध्ययोः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th Gen/Loc), द्विवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: also/even)

• नवकौटिजपान्: nine crores of japa-repetitions
• नवकौटिजपान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कौटि (प्रातिपदिक) + जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘नव-कौटि-जप’ (nine crores of recitations)

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having recited’

• संशुद्धः: purified
• संशुद्धः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + शुध् (धातु) + क्त → संशुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त

• पुरुषः: a person
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined mantra-japa—especially aligned with Vedic study and daily Sandhyā devotion—purifies the soul (paśu) and prepares it to receive Shiva’s grace (Pati), loosening the bonds (pāśa) of impurity.

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

By prescribing mantra use in daily worship and Sandhyā, it supports Saguna Shiva-upāsanā: the devotee approaches Shiva through audible japa and reverential vandana, which naturally integrates with Linga worship as a daily discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular mantra-japa at dawn and dusk (Sandhyā times), and beginning sacred recitations with Shiva-mantra remembrance; the verse emphasizes sustained, high-count japa as a purifier.