Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सा दृष्ट्वा सुमहाश्चर्यां शिवपूजां च तत्कृताम् । प्रणिपत्य स्वशिविरं पुनरेवाभ्यपद्यत

Transliteration

sā dṛṣṭvā sumahāścaryāṃ śivapūjāṃ ca tatkṛtām | praṇipatya svaśiviraṃ punarevābhyapadyata

Translation

Having seen that most wondrous worship of Lord Śiva performed by him, she bowed down in reverence and then returned again to her own camp.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• सु-महा-आश्चर्याम्: very great and wondrous
• सु-महा-आश्चर्याम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (सु-महद् आश्चर्यम्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिवपूजाम् इति विशेषणम्

• शिव-पूजाम्: worship of Śiva
• शिव-पूजाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पूजा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्-कृताम्: performed by him/that (performed)
• तत्-कृताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ धातु; क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (तेन कृताम्/तत्कृताम्); क्त-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पूजाम् इति विशेषणम्

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive); ‘having bowed down’

• स्व-शिविरम्: to her own camp
• स्व-शिविरम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शिविर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (स्वं शिविरम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारणार्थक

• अभ्यपद्यत: returned/went back
• अभ्यपद्यत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The widow’s praṇipāta after witnessing the wondrous pūjā underscores the kṣetra principle: even brief contact—darśana and namaskāra—connects the pashu to Pati and begins loosening pāśa.

Significance: Namaskāra at Mahākāla is portrayed as a complete act of bhakti for those unable to perform full rites; it is a gateway to further devotion and eventual grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that witnessing genuine Śiva-pūjā naturally awakens reverence (praṇipāta) and turns the mind toward surrender, a key doorway to Śiva’s grace in Shaiva thought.

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

It presents Śiva as approachable through visible, devotional worship (saguṇa upāsanā)—the kind commonly expressed through liṅga-pūjā—whose power inspires humility and inner transformation in the observer.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to honor Śiva-pūjā with reverent bowing and devotion; practically, one may perform simple liṅga worship with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and conclude with praṇāma.