Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

तदर्वाग्बाह्यलिंगं स्यादंतरंगं तदूर्ध्वकम् । तदर्वाक्छक्तिलोका हि शतं वै द्वादशाधिकम्

Transliteration

tadarvāgbāhyaliṃgaṃ syādaṃtaraṃgaṃ tadūrdhvakam | tadarvākchaktilokā hi śataṃ vai dvādaśādhikam

Translation

其下为外林伽；其上为内在微妙之境。而在那内境之下，确有圣力（Śakti）诸世界，共一百一十二处。

Word by Word

• तत्-अर्वाक्-बाह्य-लिङ्गम्: the external liṅga below that
• तत्-अर्वाक्-बाह्य-लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्वाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + बाह्य + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• स्यात्: would be / is
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्तरङ्गम्: the inner (one)
• अन्तरङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (predicate nominative)

• तत्-ऊर्ध्वकम्: above that
• तत्-ऊर्ध्वकम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘above that’

• तत्-अर्वाक्-शक्ति-लोकाः: the Śakti-worlds below that
• तत्-अर्वाक्-शक्ति-लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्वाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘below that’ + ‘śakti-worlds’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• द्वादश-अधिकम्: increased by twelve (i.e., 112)
• द्वादश-अधिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies शतम्); तत्पुरुष: द्वादशेन अधिकम् (increased by twelve)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It maps spiritual ascent: devotion begins with the outer Linga (saguṇa support), then turns inward to the subtle ‘inner’ realm, indicating the seeker’s movement from external worship to inner realization under Shiva’s grace.

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

It legitimizes external Linga worship as a real doorway: the bāhya-liṅga supports concentration and bhakti, while contemplation of the antaraṅga points to Shiva as the indwelling Lord beyond mere form, consistent with Shaiva Siddhanta’s path from kriyā to jñāna.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-pūjā with focused japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), then meditate on the inner Linga in the heart (hṛdaya), offering the sense of ‘I’ into Shiva while recognizing all śakti-lokas as subordinate to the Supreme Pati.