Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

क्व देव ते परं धाम क्व च तुच्छं च नो वचः । तथापि भगवन् भक्त्या प्रलपंतं क्षमस्व माम्

Transliteration

kva deva te paraṃ dhāma kva ca tucchaṃ ca no vacaḥ | tathāpi bhagavan bhaktyā pralapaṃtaṃ kṣamasva mām

Translation

O Deva, wo ist Deine höchste Wohnstatt, und wo sind unsere armseligen Worte? Und doch, o Bhagavān, vergib mir, der ich weiter rede—ich spreche allein aus Hingabe.

Word by Word

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रश्न-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: “where?”)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive: “your”)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying धाम)

• धाम: abode
• धाम: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रश्न-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• तुच्छम्: paltry
• तुच्छम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वचः)

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

• नः: our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive: “our”)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तथापि: even so
• तथापि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समुच्चय (concessive adverb: “even so/however”)

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental: “by/with devotion”)

• प्रलपन्तम्: (me) speaking
• प्रलपन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + लप् (धातु) → प्रलपन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; “speaking/babbling” (object of क्षमस्व)

• क्षमस्व: forgive
• क्षमस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

A devotee-narrator within Suta’s Vāyavīyasaṃhitā discourse (supplicatory address to Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A humility (dainya) verse: the finite speech of the bound soul contrasted with the Lord’s supreme dhāma; not tied to a jyotirliṅga locale.

Significance: Models bhakti as self-effacing surrender: acknowledging the inadequacy of words and seeking forgiveness—an inner pilgrimage of humility that invites anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It expresses the Shaiva Siddhanta mood of humility: Shiva (Pati) is infinite and transcendent, while the bound soul’s words are limited; devotion and surrender become the bridge, and the devotee seeks forgiveness for inadequacy.

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to approach the immeasurable Supreme through a tangible focus; this verse frames that approach—acknowledging Shiva’s transcendence while offering heartfelt bhakti and asking pardon for imperfect praise.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is repentance-filled japa—especially the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—followed by a short kṣamā-prārthanā (prayer for forgiveness) during daily Linga-pūjā, with a calm, surrendered mind.