Shloka 40

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

वैश्य उवाच । सम्यगुक्तं त्वया राजन्वचः सारार्थबृंहितम् । तथापि स्नेहपाशेन मोह्यतेऽतीव मे मनः

Transliteration

vaiśya uvāca | samyaguktaṃ tvayā rājanvacaḥ sārārthabṛṃhitam | tathāpi snehapāśena mohyate'tīva me manaḥ

Translation

Der Vaiśya sprach: „O König, was du gesagt hast, ist wahrlich richtig, Worte, erfüllt vom Wesenskern der Bedeutung. Und doch ist mein Geist zutiefst verwirrt, fest gebunden durch die Schlinge der Anhaftung.“

Word by Word

• vaiśyaḥ: the Vaiśya
• vaiśyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• samyak: properly, well
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• uktam: spoken, said
• uktam: Karma (कर्म/predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त; √vac वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karta (कर्ता/agent of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• vacaḥ: speech, words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/thing spoken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• sāra-artha-bṛṃhitam: enriched with the essence and meaning
• sāra-artha-bṛṃhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛṃhita (कृदन्त; √bṛṃh बृंह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त; ‘बृंहित’ = enlarged/strengthened

• tathāpi: even so, nevertheless
• tathāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोधार्थक-अव्ययसमूह (concessive: ‘even so’)

• sneha-pāśena: by the bond of affection
• sneha-pāśena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sneha (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• muhyate: is deluded
• muhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muh (मुह् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: तीव्रतावाचक-अव्यय (intensifier adverb)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Vaiśya (merchant)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

FAQs

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

It highlights a key Shaiva insight: intellectual clarity alone does not free the soul (paśu) if it remains bound by pāśa—here, sneha (attachment). Liberation requires inner detachment and turning the mind toward Pati (Lord Shiva).

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

The verse sets the psychological ground for Saguna Shiva worship: when the mind is tied by attachment, steady devotion to Shiva—often centered on the Linga—helps purify emotions and loosen the bonds (pāśa) that obstruct direct realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with daily Shiva-pūjā, supported by simple disciplines of vairāgya—reducing clinging and repeatedly offering the mind’s attachments at Shiva’s feet.