Shloka 19

ततस्तु नटरूपोऽसौ मेनकाप्रांगणे मुदा । चक्रे स नृत्यं विविधं गानञ्चाति मनोहरम्

tatastu naṭarūpo'sau menakāprāṃgaṇe mudā | cakre sa nṛtyaṃ vividhaṃ gānañcāti manoharam

Daraufhin nahm Er die Gestalt des Natarāja, des höchsten Tänzers, an und führte im Hofe Menakās voller Freude vielfältige Tänze auf, begleitet von überaus bezauberndem Gesang.

ततःthereafter
ततः:
Kala (काल/temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; ततोऽर्थे (thereafter)
तुindeed; but
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)
नट-रूपःhaving the form of an actor
नट-रूपः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootनट (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नटस्य रूपम् यस्य)
असौhe (that one)
असौ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअसद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
मेनका-प्राङ्गणेin Menakā’s courtyard
मेनका-प्राङ्गणे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
TypeNoun
Rootमेनका (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राङ्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मेनकायाः प्राङ्गणम्)
मुदाwith joy
मुदा:
Karana (करण/instrumental; manner)
TypeNoun
Rootमुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतौ (with joy)
चक्रेdid; performed
चक्रे:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect/लिट्), आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता/subject; resumptive)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
नृत्यम्dance
नृत्यम्:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootनृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
विविधम्varied
विविधम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootविविध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नृत्यम्)
गानम्song; singing
गानम्:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootगान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)
अतिvery; exceedingly
अति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/intensifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
Formअव्यय; अतिशयार्थक (very/exceedingly)
मनोहरम्charming; delightful
मनोहरम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootमनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गानम्/नृत्यम्)

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

S
Shiva
M
Menaka

FAQs

It presents Shiva’s compassionate Saguna līlā: by appearing as the divine Dancer, He uplifts the mind through sacred beauty (dance and song), turning attention from worldly agitation toward devotion and inner stillness.

While Linga worship points to Shiva’s formless (Nirguna) reality, this verse highlights Saguna Shiva—experienced through divine form and līlā. Both lead the devotee to the same Pati (Lord), approached either through symbol (Linga) or through narrated divine manifestation.

Use devotional remembrance (smaraṇa) with mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and contemplate Shiva as Naṭarāja, letting rhythm and breath become steady, as if the mind were listening to His sacred dance.