Shloka 21

नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion

Devanagari script

सौन्दर्यं सर्वनारीणां प्रियं भवति सर्वथा । तद्दृष्ट्वैव प्रसन्ना सा स्ववशा नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

saundaryaṃ sarvanārīṇāṃ priyaṃ bhavati sarvathā | taddṛṣṭvaiva prasannā sā svavaśā nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Schönheit ist auf jede Weise allen Frauen lieb. Schon beim bloßen Anblick wird sie froh und gerät unter ihren Einfluss – daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• सौन्दर्यम्: beauty
• सौन्दर्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौन्दर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वनारीणाम्: of all women
• सर्वनारीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रियम्: dear/pleasing
• प्रियम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भवति: is/becomes
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• तत्: that (beauty)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having seen’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ

• प्रसन्ना: pleased
• प्रसन्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्ववशा: under one’s control/pliant
• स्ववशा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य वशः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

FAQs

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

It highlights how sense-perception (especially attraction to beauty) can quickly draw the mind into dependence, illustrating a subtle form of pāśa (bondage) that a seeker must recognize and transcend through devotion and discernment.

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

By contrasting worldly fascination with beauty against the stabilizing focus of Saguna Shiva worship—such as Linga-pūjā—the verse implicitly supports redirecting attention from transient forms to Shiva, the enduring refuge who loosens the bonds of desire.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-restraint supported by Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and steadying the mind through daily Linga-darśana and simple pūjā, so attraction does not overpower inner clarity.