Shloka 43

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

स्वासने समुपावेश्य स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्बुजम् । हरिः प्राह वचस्तथ्यं नारदं मदनाशनम्

Transliteration

svāsane samupāveśya smṛtvā śivapadāmbujam | hariḥ prāha vacastathyaṃ nāradaṃ madanāśanam

Translation

Nachdem Hari (Viṣṇu) Nārada auf seinen eigenen Sitz gesetzt und der lotusgleichen Füße Śivas gedacht hatte, sprach er zu Nārada—dem Bezwinger der Begierde—wahrhaftige Worte.

Word by Word

• स्व-आसने: on his own seat
• स्व-आसने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य आसने = in his own seat)

• सम्-उप-आवेśya: having seated (him) near / having made (him) sit
• सम्-उप-आवेśya: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+आ√विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seated (someone)/having made (someone) sit near’; उपसर्गयुक्त धातु

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): having remembered

• शिव-पद-अम्बुजम्: Shiva’s lotus-feet
• शिव-पद-अम्बुजम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पदाम्बुजम् = Shiva’s lotus-feet)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तथ्यम्: true
• तथ्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying वचः)

• नारदम्: to Narada
• नारदम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मदन-आशनम्: (O) destroyer of Madana (Cupid)
• मदन-आशनम्: सम्बोधन-विशेष्य (Addressed-appositive/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मदनस्य आशनः = eater/destroyer of Madana)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (Hari)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Narada

FAQs

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

It shows that even Hari begins sacred instruction by inwardly taking refuge in Śiva’s lotus-feet; in Shaiva Siddhanta, remembrance of Pati (Śiva) purifies intention and makes one’s speech aligned with truth (satya) and dharma.

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet points to Saguna devotion—contemplating Śiva’s compassionate form and presence—an attitude that also underlies Liṅga-worship, where the devotee approaches Śiva as the accessible Lord who grants grace and right understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is to begin any teaching, japa, or vrata by dhyāna on Śiva’s lotus-feet, then speak and act with satya; this pairs naturally with pañcākṣarī-japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a calm, desire-subduing mind like Nārada’s.