Shloka 11

व्यासशौनकादिसंवादः | Vyāsa–Śaunaka and the Sages: Opening Dialogue of the Kailāsa-saṃhitā

Devanagari script

तत्रासीनम्महात्मानं सूतम्पौराणिकोत्तमम् । अर्घ्यादिभिस्तदा सर्व्वे मुनयस्समुपाचरन्

Transliteration

tatrāsīnammahātmānaṃ sūtampaurāṇikottamam | arghyādibhistadā sarvve munayassamupācaran

Translation

There, seated in the assembly, was the great-souled Sūta—foremost among the Purāṇic narrators. Then all the sages approached and duly honored him with offerings such as arghya and other rites of reverent reception.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa—place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle: seated), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सूतम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सूतम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• सूतम्: Sūta
• सूतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पौराणिक-उत्तमम्: best of the Purāṇic narrators
• पौराणिक-उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौराणिक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (uttamaḥ pौराणिकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सूतम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अर्घ्य-आदिभिः: with offerings such as arghya
• अर्घ्य-आदिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषसदृश ‘आदि’ समास (arghya-ādi: arghya etc.), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb: then)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वे’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• समुपाचरन्: attended/served (him)
• समुपाचरन्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (frame narrative inferred: sages honoring Suta at the outset)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Within the Mukti-maṇḍapa/Kāśī setting, the sages perform formal reception (arghya) to Sūta, preparing for transmission of liberating kṣetra-teaching under Viśveśvara’s aegis.

Significance: Honoring the kathā-vaktā (Purāṇic expounder) is treated as part of dharma that opens one to śravaṇa of mokṣa-śāstra in the sacred kṣetra.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

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

It establishes the Shaiva method of receiving sacred teaching: humility, reverence, and proper hospitality toward the transmitter of śāstra, so that listening (śravaṇa) becomes spiritually fruitful.

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

Before Linga-worship instructions and Shiva-kathā are heard, the tradition emphasizes right approach—honoring the speaker with arghya and upacāras—mirroring the same upacāra-based devotion offered to Saguna Shiva in pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is guru-satkāra and śāstra-śravaṇa: receive the teacher respectfully (arghya, āsana, etc.) and then listen with one-pointed attention—preparing the mind for mantra, japa, and Shiva-bhakti.