Shloka 8

नारीसन्देहभञ्जक-शम्भ्ववतारकथा

The Account of Śambhu’s Incarnation that Dispels Doubts Concerning Women

Devanagari script

निर्गता शोकसंतप्ता सा राजमहिषी शनैः । प्राचीं दिशं ययौ दूरं स्मरन्तीशपदाम्बुजम्

Transliteration

nirgatā śokasaṃtaptā sā rājamahiṣī śanaiḥ | prācīṃ diśaṃ yayau dūraṃ smarantīśapadāmbujam

Translation

وقد ألهبها حَرُّ الحزن، فخرجت الملكةُ ببطء. ومضت بعيدًا نحو الشرق، وقلبُها لا يفتر عن تذكّر قدمي إيشا (الرب شيفا) اللوتسيتين.

Word by Word

• निर्गता: having gone out
• निर्गता: कर्तृविशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + निर् उपसर्ग + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग (having gone out)

• शोक-संतप्ता: afflicted by grief
• शोक-संतप्ता: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + संतप्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (afflicted by grief)

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• राज-महिषी: queen (king's consort)
• राज-महिषी: कर्ता (Karta/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शनैः: slowly
• शनैः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैस् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: slowly)

• प्राचीम्: eastern
• प्राचीम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; दिशम् इति विशेषण

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: कर्म (Karma/destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दूरम्: far
• दूरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: far)

• स्मरन्ती: remembering
• स्मरन्ती: कर्तृविशेषण (concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ईश-पद-अम्बुजम्: the lotus-feet of the Lord
• ईश-पद-अम्बुजम्: कर्म (Karma/object of remembering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana account to the sages, as typical for this section)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: īśa-padāmbujam (remembrance of the Lord’s lotus-feet)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) through smaraṇa—when worldly support collapses, the soul turns to Pati, Lord Śiva, and remembrance of His lotus-feet becomes the inner path that steadies the mind and leads toward grace.

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet is a Saguna-bhakti practice: the devotee holds a concrete, compassionate form of Īśa in the heart. In temple worship this aligns with fixing attention on the Śiva-liṅga as the visible support for contemplation of the Lord’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa and japa—repeating “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while mentally visualizing Śiva’s lotus-feet, especially during distress, to calm grief and re-center the mind in devotion.