Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सुदर्शनाय पुत्राय ददौ प्रीत्या तदाम्बिका । उद्दिश्य शिवगायत्रीं षोडशाक्षरसंयुताम्

Transliteration

sudarśanāya putrāya dadau prītyā tadāmbikā | uddiśya śivagāyatrīṃ ṣoḍaśākṣarasaṃyutām

Translation

Then Ambikā, moved by affection, bestowed upon her son Sudarśana the Śiva-Gāyatrī—an invocation directed to Lord Śiva—endowed with the sixteen syllables, for his worship and inner purification.

Word by Word

• सुदर्शनाय: to Sudarśana
• सुदर्शनाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• पुत्राय: to (her) son
• पुत्राय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; अपादान-न, सम्बोधन-न; here apposition to Sudarśana

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतौ/भावे करण (instrumental of manner/cause)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• अम्बिका: Ambikā (Pārvatī)
• अम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having addressed/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having indicated/aiming at, addressing’

• शिव-गायत्रीम्: the Śiva-Gāyatrī (mantra)
• शिव-गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य गायत्री)

• षोडश-अक्षर-संयुताम्: endowed with sixteen syllables
• षोडश-अक्षर-संयुताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-युज् (धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् शिवगायत्रीम्; तत्पुरुषः (षोडशाक्षरैः संयुता)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Śiva-gāyatrī, ṣoḍaśākṣarā, as referenced; text not quoted in this verse)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Ambikā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ambika
• Sudarshana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dīkṣā-like transmission of a Śiva-mantra: the Divine Mother compassionately gives a Śiva-Gāyatrī of sixteen syllables, indicating that devotion and mantra-japa purify the soul (paśu) and turn it toward Pati (Śiva), supporting liberation through grace and disciplined remembrance.

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

By prescribing a Śiva-Gāyatrī meant for directed invocation (uddiśya), the text emphasizes Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through mantra as a worshipful form—commonly paired with liṅga-pūjā, where mantra becomes the inner offering accompanying external ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests mantra-japa of the Śiva-Gāyatrī (sixteen-syllabled) received with reverence from a worthy source, practiced as daily repetition with focused intention toward Śiva—ideally alongside Śiva-pūjā, bhasma/tripuṇḍra, and steady bhakti.