Shloka 37

प्रकृतितत्त्व-विचारः / Inquiry into Prakṛti (Nature/Śakti) and Śiva’s Transcendence

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा तु तां देवीं सेवायै जगृहे हरः । निर्विकारो महायोगी नानालीलाकरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

evamuktvā tu tāṃ devīṃ sevāyai jagṛhe haraḥ | nirvikāro mahāyogī nānālīlākaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

وبعد أن قال ذلك لتلك الإلهة، قبلها هَرَا للخدمة. ومع أنه غير متغيّر، فإن اليوغي العظيم—الربّ الأعلى—يُجري ليلاتٍ إلهيةً شتّى.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकाल (having said)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (particle: but/indeed)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• सेवायै: for service
• सेवायै: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/Purpose; चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजन (for the purpose of service)

• जगृहे: accepted/took
• जगृहे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• निर्विकारः: unchanging
• निर्विकारः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• महायोगी: the great yogin
• महायोगी: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (mahā-yogī = great yogin)

• नाना: various
• नाना: विशेषणार्थ (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नानार्थक (various/diverse) used as pre-adjectival indeclinable

• लीलाकरः: performer of (divine) play
• लीलाकरः: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (līlā-kara = doer of play)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It shows that Śiva, though nirvikāra (unchanging Absolute), compassionately engages in līlā to accept devotion; Parvatī’s seva becomes a sacred path where bhakti and yoga meet under the Lord’s grace.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva’s accessible, relational aspect—accepting service—while affirming his Nirguna truth as nirvikāra; Linga-worship similarly honors the formless reality through a worshipable form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies seva-bhāva (devotional service) combined with yogic steadiness—daily pūjā with pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offered with humility as service to Śiva.