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Shloka 22

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva

पूर्णानां किञ्च कर्तव्यमस्ति चेत्परमा कृपा । सदृशं सेवकानां तु देयं कार्यं त्वया शुभम्

pūrṇānāṃ kiñca kartavyamasti cetparamā kṛpā | sadṛśaṃ sevakānāṃ tu deyaṃ kāryaṃ tvayā śubham

Wenn für die bereits Erfüllten noch etwas zu tun bleibt, so ist das höchste Barmherzigkeit. Darum handle gnädig, wie es sich ziemt: gib den Dienern eine passende Aufgabe und eine würdige Gabe.

pūrṇānāmof the complete (ones)
pūrṇānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootpūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (contextually m. ‘of the fulfilled/complete ones’), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), बहुवचन (pl.)
kiṃwhat
kiṃ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); प्रश्नार्थक
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)
kartavyamto be done
kartavyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (कृ धातु)
Formकृदन्त (भाव्य/तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); ‘to be done/ought to be done’
astiis
asti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (अस् धातु)
Formलट् (Pres.), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद
cetif
cet:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootcet (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle ‘if’)
paramāsupreme
paramā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
kṛpācompassion
kṛpā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛpā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
sadṛśambefitting
sadṛśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)
sevakānāmof servants
sevakānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsevaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), बहुवचन (pl.)
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)
deyamto be given
deyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√dā (दा धातु)
Formकृदन्त (भाव्य/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); ‘to be given’
kāryamto be done
kāryam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (कृ धातु)
Formकृदन्त (भाव्य/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); ‘to be done’
tvayāby you
tvayā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)
śubhamauspicious
śubham:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); (kāryam/deyam इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

Goddess Pārvatī (addressing Lord Śiva, inferred from Pārvatīkhaṇḍa context)

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; the verse articulates the logic of grace: even for the ‘pūrṇa’ (fulfilled), the only remaining ‘act’ is compassion—bestowing auspicious duty/gift to devotees.

Significance: Encourages devotees to seek not worldly surplus but Śiva’s ‘śubha’ bestowal—service (kārya) and grace (deya) that ripens liberation.

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Offering: pushpa

P
Parvati
S
Shiva
S
Sevakas

FAQs

It teaches that the highest form of compassion is to act for the welfare of others even when one has nothing personal to gain—an expression of divine grace that supports dharma and purifies the heart through selfless seva.

In Saguna worship, devotion is expressed not only through offerings to Śiva (often via the Liṅga) but also through honoring His retinue and devotees; giving what is ‘fitting’ reflects right intention, humility, and reverence within Shaiva practice.

The takeaway is seva as sādhanā: perform an auspicious, appropriate service and give suitable dāna; this can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to cultivate grace-oriented action.