Shloka 23

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

किंबहूक्त्या नगश्रेष्ठ शिवमाया दुरत्यया । तदधीनास्त्रयो लोका हरिब्रह्मादयोपि च

Transliteration

kiṃbahūktyā nagaśreṣṭha śivamāyā duratyayā | tadadhīnāstrayo lokā haribrahmādayopi ca

Translation

وما الحاجة إلى الإكثار من القول، يا خيرَ الجبال؟ إن مايا شيفا لعسيرةُ العبور حقًّا. العوالم الثلاثة خاضعةٌ لها—حتى فيشنو وبراهما وسائرُهم كذلك.

Word by Word

• किंबहूक्त्या: what is the use of many words
• किंबहूक्त्या: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/idiom)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक) + बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण स्थिरीभूतम् (instrumental-form used idiomatically) ‘what (need) of much saying’

• नगश्रेष्ठ: O best of mountains
• नगश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः: नगानां श्रेष्ठः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शिवमाया: Śiva’s māyā
• शिवमाया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः: शिवस्य माया (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• दुरत्यया: hard to overcome
• दुरत्यया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + अति + इ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/adjectival), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; धातुः: इ (to go/overcome) + अति; अर्थः ‘hard to cross/overcome’

• तदधीनाः: dependent on that (māyā)
• तदधीनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः: तस्य अधीनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (numeral)

• लोकाः: worlds
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• हरिब्रह्मादयः: Hari, Brahmā, and others
• हरिब्रह्मादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः: हरिः च ब्रह्मा च (द्वन्द्व-भाव) + आदयः (तत्पुरुष/समाहार ‘beginning with’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as narrator/instructor within the Parvati Khanda dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes that Māyā is not merely worldly illusion but Shiva’s cosmic power that binds all beings; liberation requires Shiva’s grace and right knowledge, not mere status or intellect.

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

Since even the highest deities remain within Māyā’s domain, the Purana points devotees toward Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—as a direct means to receive Shiva’s anugraha (saving grace) that enables transcending Māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-bhakti with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Linga-pūjā, seeking Shiva’s grace to overcome Māyā.