Shloka 23

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा तेषां शम्भुर्महेश्वरः । लौकिकाचारमाश्रित्य रम्यं वाक्यमुपाददे

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā teṣāṃ śambhurmaheśvaraḥ | laukikācāramāśritya ramyaṃ vākyamupādade

Translation

Brahmā sprach: Als er so ihre Worte vernommen hatte, erwiderte Śambhu—Mahādeva, Mahēśvara—dem weltlichen Anstand folgend, mit anmutiger und wohlklingender Rede.

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• evam: in this manner
• evam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• vacanam: speech, words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable gerund)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.) (generic), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), बहुवचन (pl.)

• śambhuḥ: Śambhu
• śambhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• maheśvaraḥ: the Great Lord
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• laukika-ācāram: worldly custom
• laukika-ācāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laukika (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• āśritya: having resorted to
• āśritya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√śri (श्रि धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्यप्/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); ‘having resorted to’

• ramyam: pleasant
• ramyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• vākyam: statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• upādade: uttered
• upādade: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद; ‘took up/uttered’

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Narrative transition (Brahmā as narrator) describing Śiva’s gracious reply in accordance with laukika-ācāra; no site-specific liṅga context.

Significance: Highlights Śiva’s accessibility: though transcendent, He adopts worldly decorum to communicate grace to devotees—an implicit model for dharmic conduct.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva’s compassion and accessibility: though transcendent as Maheshvara, he engages beings through gentle, dharmic speech, guiding them without breaking the order of worldly propriety.

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

It reflects the Saguna aspect of Shiva—who communicates, teaches, and responds within the world—supporting devotional worship where the Lord is approached as a personal guide and protector, not only as the formless Absolute.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is sāttvika vāk (pure, measured speech) alongside bhakti—approaching Shiva with humility and listening attentively; one may pair this with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to cultivate the same graciousness and restraint.