Shloka 185

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

दिवसं दिवसार्ध वा मुहूर्त वा क्षणं लवम्‌ न हालब्धप्रसादस्य भक्तिर्भवति शडूकरे

Transliteration

divasaṁ divasārdhaṁ vā muhūrtaṁ vā kṣaṇaṁ lavaṁ na | alabdha-prasādasya bhaktir bhavati śaṅkare ||

Translation

Vāsudeva sprach: Wer Śivas Gnade nicht erlangt hat, in dem erwacht keine Hingabe an Śaṅkara—nicht für einen Tag, nicht für einen halben Tag, nicht für eine Muhūrta, nicht für einen Augenblick, nicht einmal für den kürzesten Wimpernschlag.

Word by Word

• दिवसम्: a day (for the duration of)
• दिवसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दिवसार्धम्: half a day
• दिवसार्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवसार्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• मुहूर्तम्: a muhūrta (a period of time)
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• क्षणम्: a moment
• क्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लवम्: a very small instant (lava)
• लवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अलब्धप्रसादस्य: of one who has not obtained (divine) favor/grace
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलब्धप्रसाद
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवति: arises/is/occurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular

• शडूकरे: in Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शडूकरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शडूकर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Śiva
• Śaṅkara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True devotion to Śiva is not sustained by mere effort alone; it arises through Śiva’s prasāda (grace). The verse emphasizes humility and the recognition that spiritual transformation depends on divine favor as well as sincere seeking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva is speaking in praise of Śiva’s supremacy in granting devotion and spiritual awakening, stressing that without Śiva’s acceptance a person cannot maintain even momentary bhakti toward him.