Shloka 23

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

दासानां दासिकानां च देवादीनां तथैव च । शरीरिणां च सर्वेषां हितमेतद्व्रतं वरम्

Transliteration

dāsānāṃ dāsikānāṃ ca devādīnāṃ tathaiva ca | śarīriṇāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ hitametadvrataṃ varam

Translation

Für Diener und Dienerinnen, ebenso für die Devas und alle anderen Wesen—ja, für alle verkörperten Geschöpfe—ist dieses erhabene Gelübde heilsam.

Word by Word

• दासानाम्: of servants
• दासानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दासिकानाम्: of maidservants
• दासिकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देव-आदीनाम्: of gods and others
• देव-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); 'देवाः आदयः येषाम्' (and others beginning with gods)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शरीरिणाम्: of embodied beings
• शरीरिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरम्: excellent
• वरम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (superlative sense: excellent)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Continues the universal-benefit framing of the vrata: it is welfare-giving for servants and even for devas and all embodied beings, a typical Purāṇic way to magnify the vrata’s scope and merit.

Significance: Encourages participation by socially marginalized groups (dāsa/dāsī) and affirms that the vrata’s fruit extends across realms (deva-ādi), motivating pilgrimage-vrata observance at Śiva-kṣetras.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the universality of Shiva-dharma: a Shaiva vow (vrata) is welfare-giving for every embodied being, regardless of status—servant or god—because devotion to Pati (Shiva) uplifts the pashu (bound soul) toward purity and liberation.

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

In the Kotirudra context of Jyotirlinga glory, the verse supports Saguna worship through vrata—disciplined devotion expressed via Linga-puja, pilgrimage, and observances—available to all, not restricted by social or cosmic rank.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It commends undertaking a Shiva-vrata—typically including Linga worship, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya), and purity disciplines such as fasting or regulated diet, with optional Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as supporting Shaiva practices.