Shloka 41

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना यो वै वन्द्यस्सर्वार्थसाधकः । सोस्मान्प्रेषयते प्रेष्यान्कार्ये लोकसुखावहे

Transliteration

brahmaṇā viṣṇunā yo vai vandyassarvārthasādhakaḥ | sosmānpreṣayate preṣyānkārye lokasukhāvahe

Translation

Er, den selbst Brahmā und Viṣṇu verehren, der alle würdigen Ziele vollendet—Er sendet uns als Seine Diener aus, um ein Werk zu vollbringen, das der Welt Wohlergehen und Glück bringt.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: करण/सह (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: करण/सह (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• वन्द्यः: worthy of reverence
• वन्द्यः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्द्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यः-विशेषण

• सर्व-अर्थ-साधकः: accomplisher of all aims
• सर्व-अर्थ-साधकः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (all + aims + accomplisher)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रेषयते: sends/dispatches
• प्रेषयते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष्/प्रेष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रेष्यान्: (as) servants/agents
• प्रेष्यान्: कर्म (Karma/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अस्मान्-विशेषण (as servants/agents)

• कार्ये: in the task
• कार्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• लोक-सुख-आवहे: bringing happiness to the world
• लोक-सुख-आवहे: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (आ-वह् धातु से, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (world + happiness + bringing) कार्ये-विशेषण

Speaker

Shiva’s attendant-messenger (a gaṇa/dūta) speaking in the Parvatīkhaṇḍa narrative context

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms Śiva’s supremacy as ‘sarvārthasādhaka’ (giver of dharma-artha-kāma and mokṣa), motivating pilgrimage/service (sevā) as participation in loka-saṅgraha (world-welfare).

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva as the supreme Lord (Pati), revered even by Brahma and Vishnu, and shows that divine service—acting as an instrument of Shiva’s will—becomes a means for worldly welfare and spiritual uplift.

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

By calling Shiva ‘worshipped by Brahma and Vishnu’ and ‘fulfiller of aims,’ it supports Saguna Shiva devotion—often centered on the Shiva-Linga—where the devotee seeks both loka-sukha (well-being) and the highest good through Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sevā-bhāva (service-attitude): worship Shiva with the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and cultivate obedience to dharma as Shiva’s command—acting for loka-kalyāṇa as a form of devotion.