Shloka 41

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा शंकरो देवः प्रसन्नोऽभूत्ततः प्रभुः । आविर्भूय विधुं प्राह स्वभक्तं भक्तवत्सलः

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā śaṃkaro devaḥ prasanno'bhūttataḥ prabhuḥ | āvirbhūya vidhuṃ prāha svabhaktaṃ bhaktavatsalaḥ

Translation

Seeing him, Lord Śaṅkara—the sovereign Deva—became pleased. Then that Lord, affectionate to His devotees, manifested Himself and spoke to Vidhu, His own devotee.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having seen’

• śaṃkaraḥ: Śaṅkara
• śaṃkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to śaṃkaraḥ

• prasannaḥ: pleased
• prasannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to śaṃkaraḥ)

• abhūt: became
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—काल/अनन्तर (then/thereupon)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to śaṃkaraḥ

• āvirbhūya: having appeared
• āvirbhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āvir-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having manifested/appeared’

• vidhum: to the Moon (Vidhu)
• vidhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sva-bhaktam: his devotee
• sva-bhaktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त, √bhaj- सेवायाम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svasya bhaktaḥ)

• bhakta-vatsalaḥ: affectionate to devotees
• bhakta-vatsalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to prabhuḥ/śaṃkaraḥ); समासः—तत्पुरुष (bhakteṣu vatsalaḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Somanātha

Sthala Purana: Śiva, pleased by Chandra’s steadfast upāsanā, manifests (āvirbhūya) at Prabhāsa and addresses him—this divine epiphany grounds Somnātha’s fame as a kṣetra of direct grace and restoration.

Significance: Promises bhakta-vātsalya: devotees seek tangible reassurance, removal of fear, and compassionate response to sincere sādhana at Somnātha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Vidhu

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): when sincere devotion ripens, the Lord becomes prasanna (pleased) and personally reveals Himself, affirming that bhakti is a direct means to divine communion and liberation.

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

Though Śiva is ultimately beyond form (nirguṇa), this verse emphasizes His saguna compassion—He ‘appears’ (āvirbhūya) for the devotee. Linga-worship trains the mind in steady reverence so that the formless Lord is approached through a sacred, accessible form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadfast bhakti: daily Linga-pūjā with Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with purity and humility, as the inner disposition that invites Śiva’s grace and guidance.