Shloka 7

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

त्वया दत्तश्च नौ शापः परेशप्रेरितेन ह । ज्ञात्वा कुसमयं तत्र मौनमेव हि जीवनम्

Transliteration

tvayā dattaśca nau śāpaḥ pareśapreritena ha | jñātvā kusamayaṃ tatra maunameva hi jīvanam

Translation

„Der Fluch, den du über uns ausgesprochen hast, wurde wahrlich vom Höchsten Herrn (Śiva) bewirkt. Da wir erkannten, dass die Zeit dort widrig ist, gilt allein das Schweigen als rechte Weise zu leben und in jener Lage zu bestehen.“

Word by Word

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Feminine/Neuter (त्रिलिङ्ग) usage

• dattaḥ: given
• dattaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object) (as predicate: “given”)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु) → datta (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• nau: to us two
• nau: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Dual (द्विवचन) (enclitic form)

• śāpaḥ: curse
• śāpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pareśa-preritena: impelled by the Supreme Lord
• pareśa-preritena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pareśa (प्रातिपदिक) + prerita (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP from √prer)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: pareśa-prerita = “impelled by the Supreme Lord”; Neuter/Masculine Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन) agreeing with implied agent/cause

• ha: indeed/ah
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/recall (स्मरणार्थक/उद्गार)

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धा॒तु) → jñātvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal form; expresses prior action (पूर्वक्रिया)

• kusamayam: the bad time
• kusamayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ku-samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय): ku + samaya = “bad/inauspicious time”; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• maunam: silence
• maunam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (as predicate: “silence is…”)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) (predicate-noun)

• eva: only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), restriction/emphasis (अवधारण)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), causal/emphatic (हेतौ/निश्चयार्थ)

• jīvanam: life/living
• jīvanam: Karma (कर्म/Complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) (predicate-noun)

Speaker

Brahmā (narrative voice within the Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa context, explaining divine ordinance under Parameśvara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches surrender to Parameśvara (Śiva) as the inner governor of events: even a curse operates under divine ordinance, and the right response in an unfavorable time is self-restraint—especially mauna—so one does not create further bondage (pāśa).

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

Seeing the curse as ‘Pareśa-prerita’ aligns the devotee with Saguna Śiva as the compassionate Lord who administers karma for purification; Linga-worship reinforces this surrender—accepting outcomes while maintaining inner steadiness and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mauna (disciplined silence) is directly indicated; as a Shaiva practice it can be paired with mental japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and calm breath-awareness to prevent reactive speech and stabilize the mind in adversity.