Shloka 3

गुरुत्व-परम्परा-शौचविधि-प्रश्नः

Questions on Guruhood, Lineage, and Purificatory Discipline

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा मुनीनान्तद्वचनम्प्रेमगर्भितम् । सूतः प्राह प्रसन्नस्ताञ्छिवासक्तमना बुधः

Transliteration

iti śrutvā munīnāntadvacanampremagarbhitam | sūtaḥ prāha prasannastāñchivāsaktamanā budhaḥ

Translation

Hearing the sages’ words, filled with loving devotion, Sūta—the wise one whose mind was absorbed in Śiva—replied to them with a serene and pleased heart.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• मुनीनाम्: of the sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; विशेषण (to vacanam)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• प्रेमगर्भितम्: filled with love
• प्रेमगर्भितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेम + गर्भित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; विशेषण (to vacanam); तत्पुरुषः (प्रेमेण गर्भितम् = filled with love)

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (to sūtaḥ)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• शिवासक्तमना: whose mind is devoted to Śiva
• शिवासक्तमना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + आसक्त + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शिवे आसक्तं मनः यस्य सः = whose mind is attached to Śiva); विशेषण (to budhaḥ/sūtaḥ)

• बुधः: the wise one
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; (apposition to sūtaḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Suta
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ideal that true teaching flows from devotion: when the listener’s words are “prema-garbhita” (filled with loving bhakti), the realized narrator responds from calm clarity, showing that Śiva-bhakti purifies dialogue into sacred transmission.

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

By describing Sūta as “śivāsakta-manā,” the verse points to Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—steady mental attachment to Śiva (often through Linga worship, mantra, and remembrance) as the devotional foundation for receiving Purāṇic wisdom.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is Shiva-smaraṇa (continuous remembrance) supported by bhakti: approach sacred discourse with devotion, and cultivate one-pointed Shiva-attachment—commonly strengthened through japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and attentive satsanga.