Shloka 33

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

पृच्छमानोऽपि न ब्रूयाः स्ववृत्तं मे यदुक्तवान् । गोप्यं गोप्यं सर्वथा हि नैव वाच्यं कदाचन

Transliteration

pṛcchamāno'pi na brūyāḥ svavṛttaṃ me yaduktavān | gopyaṃ gopyaṃ sarvathā hi naiva vācyaṃ kadācana

Translation

„Selbst wenn man dich befragt, sollst du nicht aussprechen, was du mir über deine eigene Angelegenheit gesagt hast. Es ist geheim zu halten—auf jede Weise geheim; wahrlich, es darf zu keiner Zeit jemals ausgesprochen werden.“

Word by Word

• पृच्छमानः: (even if) asking
• पृच्छमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (प्रच्छ् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (concessive/emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• ब्रूयाः: you should say/tell
• ब्रूयाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्व-वृत्तम्: my/your own matter (what happened)
• स्व-वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (वृत्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘स्वस्य वृत्तम्’ (one’s own account/affair)

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (Genitive/Dative); here षष्ठी (of me)

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• उक्तवान्: (I) have said / having said
• उक्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु) + kta-vat (क्तवत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त भूतपूर्वकृदन्त (perfect participle/‘having said’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गोप्यम्: secret / to be concealed
• गोप्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gopya (गोप्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicate adjective (to be kept secret)

• गोप्यम्: secret (indeed)
• गोप्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gopya (गोप्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• सर्वथा: in every way / always
• सर्वथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: at all / only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• वाच्यम्: to be spoken / should be said
• वाच्यम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु) + ya (य-प्रत्यय, भाव्य/कर्तव्य)
• Form: कर्तव्य/भाव्य-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वक्तव्यम्’ अर्थे

• कदाचन: ever / at any time
• कदाचन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches niyama (discipline) and gupti (guarding what is sacred): spiritual matters, vows, and inner experiences are protected through restraint, preventing ego, misunderstanding, and dilution of bhakti.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes inward reverence and steady practice; Shiva’s instruction supports keeping one’s sādhana, mantras, and personal spiritual states private so devotion remains pure and undisturbed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī), vrata observances, and personal vows quietly; avoid publicizing one’s sādhana, and cultivate inner steadiness with humility.