Shloka 31

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा शंकरः प्राह नारदं भक्तवत्सलः । स्वमायामोहितं हेत्वनभिज्ञं भ्रष्टचेतसम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā śaṃkaraḥ prāha nāradaṃ bhaktavatsalaḥ | svamāyāmohitaṃ hetvanabhijñaṃ bhraṣṭacetasam

Translation

Als Śaṅkara — stets liebevoll zu Seinen Verehrern — dies hörte, sprach Er zu Nārada, der von Seiner eigenen Māyā betört war, die wahre Ursache nicht erkannte und dessen Geist verwirrt geworden war.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; (object of ‘श्रुत्वा’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having heard’

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु; ‘आह’ from √अह्/ब्रू)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘said’

• नारदम्: to Nārada
• नारदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• भक्त-वत्सलः: affectionate to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘भक्तेषु वत्सलः’ (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ)

• स्व-माया-मोहितम्: deluded by his own māyā
• स्व-माया-मोहितम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्म-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स्वया मायया मोहितः’ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ; used as adjective of नारदम्)

• हेतु-अनभिज्ञम्: unaware of the cause
• हेतु-अनभिज्ञम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्म-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + अनभिज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘हेतुम् अनभिज्ञः’ (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ)

• भ्रष्ट-चेतसम्: of disturbed mind
• भ्रष्ट-चेतसम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्म-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘भ्रष्टं चेतः यस्य’ (बहुव्रीहि-प्राय; here adjectival ‘one whose mind has slipped’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account; the verse introduces Shiva speaking to Narada)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada

FAQs

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

It shows that even a great sage can be veiled by Māyā, while Śiva as Pati remains the compassionate guide who restores right understanding of the true cause and leads the seeker back toward liberation.

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

The verse emphasizes Śiva’s Saguna grace—He actively instructs and protects devotees. Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in this same bhaktavatsalatā, where the Lord responds to devotion by removing delusion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to seek clarity through Shiva-upāsanā—steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and devotional surrender—so Māyā’s confusion is replaced by right knowledge and devotion.