Shloka 57

Kirātāvatāra, Durvāsā-upākhyāna, and the Logic of Divine Rescue

Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां चैव सेष्योसौ शङ्करस्सर्वदुःखहा । शिवः स्वल्पेन कालेन संप्रसीदति भक्तितः

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ caiva seṣyosau śaṅkarassarvaduḥkhahā | śivaḥ svalpena kālena saṃprasīdati bhaktitaḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, Śaṅkara ist die höchste Zuflucht für alle und der Vernichter allen Leids. Durch Bhakti allein wird Herr Śiva in sehr kurzer Zeit völlig gnädig.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of all’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Nipata (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• शेष्यः: to be served
• शेष्यः: Vidhana (विधान/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective): ‘the one to be served’

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative pronoun)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन to असौ

• सर्व-दुःख-हा: destroyer of all suffering
• सर्व-दुःख-हा: Vidhana (विधान/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष + कृदन्त (हा = हन् धातोः ‘घञ्/क्विप्’ प्रकारेण agent-noun): ‘destroyer of all sorrow’

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता

• स्वल्पेन: with a short (little)
• स्वल्पेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण ‘कालेन’

• कालेन: time; in a short time
• कालेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; काल-करण (instrumental of time)

• संप्रसीदति: becomes gracious, is pleased
• संप्रसीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्तितः: from devotion; by devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause): ‘due to devotion’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes Śiva’s quick prasāda through bhakti—often cited in kṣetra traditions to encourage simple devotion over complexity.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Śiva is Pati—the compassionate Lord who removes the pashu’s (bound soul’s) duḥkha—and that His grace is swiftly attained through sincere bhakti and surrender, not merely through long austerities.

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

It supports Saguna worship by emphasizing accessible devotion: approaching Śiva through the Śiva-liṅga with faith, praise, and loving surrender brings quick prasāda (grace), which then leads the devotee toward inner purification and realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady bhakti-sādhana—daily liṅga-pūjā with the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with simple offerings (water, bilva leaves) and remembrance of Śiva as ‘sarvaduḥkhahā’ (remover of all sorrow).