Shloka 23

महेश्वरागमनं तथा नीराजन-सत्कारवर्णनम् / The Arrival of Maheśvara and the Rite of Welcome

Nīrājana

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दुर्गां शैलान्तःपुरचारिका । बहिर्जग्मुस्समादाय पूजितुं कुलदेवताम्

Transliteration

etasminnantare durgāṃ śailāntaḥpuracārikā | bahirjagmussamādāya pūjituṃ kuladevatām

Translation

Unterdessen nahmen die weiblichen Dienerinnen des Bergpalastes Durgā mit sich und gingen hinaus, um die Schutzgottheit ihres Geschlechts (Kuladevatā) zu verehren.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्तरे: in the interval/meanwhile
• अन्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (अन्तरे = 'in the meantime')

• दुर्गाम्: Durgā
• दुर्गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• शैलान्तःपुरचारिका: a maid/attendant of the mountain-palace
• शैलान्तःपुरचारिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल + अन्तःपुर + चारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शैलस्य अन्तःपुरे चारिका)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• समादाय: having taken/bringing along
• समादाय: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• पूजितुम्: to worship
• पूजितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय

• कुलदेवताम्: the family deity
• कुलदेवताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य देवता)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: protective

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Durga

FAQs

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

It highlights the Purāṇic principle that dharma begins with reverent worship—family and community devotion (kuladevata-pūjā) becomes a sanctified setting in which the Divine (here Durgā/Śakti) is approached with humility and orderly practice.

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

In Shaiva understanding, Śiva is Pati and Śakti is His inseparable power; honoring Durgā as a manifest (saguṇa) form supports devotion that ultimately matures toward Śiva-centered realization. The narrative shows integrated worship rather than opposition between Śiva and Devī.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests regular temple-going and kuladevata-pūjā with orderly reverence; as a Shaiva takeaway, one may accompany such worship with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple offerings made with purity and focus.