Shloka 38

Viṣṇoḥ Sahasranāma-stotreṇa Śiva-prasādaḥ

Vishnu’s Thousand-Name Hymn and Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

इति पृष्टं मयाख्यातं शृण्वताम्पापहारकम् । अतःपरं च किं श्रेष्ठाः प्रष्टुमिच्छथ वै पुनः

Transliteration

iti pṛṣṭaṃ mayākhyātaṃ śṛṇvatāmpāpahārakam | ataḥparaṃ ca kiṃ śreṣṭhāḥ praṣṭumicchatha vai punaḥ

Translation

So habe ich erklärt, wonach ihr gefragt habt; für die Hörenden wird es zum Vertilger der Sünden. Nun denn, o Edle, was wünscht ihr noch einmal zu fragen?

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘thus’

• पृष्टम्: (what was) asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘asked’

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आख्यातम्: explained
• आख्यातम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘told/explained’

• शृण्वताम्: of the listeners
• शृण्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-सम्भव), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those who are listening’

• पाप-हारकम्: sin-destroying
• पाप-हारकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पापं हरति इति (पाप-हारक)

• अतः-परम्: after this / next
• अतः-परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः ‘hereafter/after this’

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• श्रेष्ठाः: O best ones
• श्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative-sense though form = nominative plural)

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• प्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to ask’

• इच्छथ: you wish
• इच्छथ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-निपातः; emphasis/assurance

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘again’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General phala-śruti claim: hearing the narration removes sins; not a site-specific tīrtha account.

Significance: Frames śravaṇa (listening) itself as pāpa-haraṇa—equating kathā-śravaṇa with purificatory pilgrimage in effect.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

FAQs

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

It affirms śravaṇa (devout listening) to Shiva-kathā as a purifying act that destroys pāpa and prepares the seeker for bhakti and liberation under Shiva’s grace.

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

By praising the merit of hearing the narration, it supports Saguna Shiva devotion through katha-śravaṇa—an essential limb of bhakti that strengthens faith in Shiva’s sacred forms, including the Jyotirliṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is attentive, reverent listening to Shiva Purana recitation (śravaṇa), ideally with purity of conduct and remembrance of Shiva’s name/mantra, as a means of inner cleansing.