Shloka 45

मङ्गलपत्रिकाग्रहणम् — Reception of the Auspicious Marriage Invitation

Devanagari script

ततो विष्णुरुवाचेदं प्रस्तावसदृशं वचः । प्रणम्य शंकरं भक्त्या विज्ञानप्रीतमानसः

Transliteration

tato viṣṇuruvācedaṃ prastāvasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ | praṇamya śaṃkaraṃ bhaktyā vijñānaprītamānasaḥ

Translation

Darauf sprach Viṣṇu Worte, die der Gelegenheit entsprachen. Nachdem er sich Śaṅkara in hingebungsvoller Verehrung verneigt hatte, und sein Geist durch wahre geistige Unterscheidung erfreut war, wandte er sich an Ihn.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• prastāva-sadṛśam: appropriate to the occasion
• prastāva-sadṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prastāva (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha; ‘prastāvasya sadṛśam’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vacaḥ: speech, words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having bowed’

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṃkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vijñāna-prīta-mānasaḥ: whose mind was pleased by understanding
• vijñāna-prīta-mānasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + prīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √prī) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (Bahuvrihi; ‘vijñānena prītaṃ mānasaṃ yasya saḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode; the verse reports Viṣṇu’s action and speech)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that true devotion (bhakti) is strengthened by right discernment (vijñāna), culminating in humble surrender to Pati (Śiva), the supreme Lord.

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

By showing Viṣṇu bowing to Śaṅkara, the verse models reverent approach to Saguna Śiva—worship begins with praṇāma (prostration) and fitting speech, the same spirit brought to Liṅga-pūjā as a living presence of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is praṇāma with bhakti before Śiva, followed by mindful recitation—such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—grounded in vijñāna (clear understanding of Śiva as Pati and refuge).