Shloka 30

Viśveśvara-māhātmya and the Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Emergence of Śiva (Śakti–Puruṣa/Prakṛti Discourse)

Devanagari script

काश्याश्च महिमानं वै वक्तुं वर्षशतैरपि । शक्नोम्यहं न सर्वं हि यथाशक्ति ब्रुवे ततः

Transliteration

kāśyāśca mahimānaṃ vai vaktuṃ varṣaśatairapi | śaknomyahaṃ na sarvaṃ hi yathāśakti bruve tataḥ

Translation

Truly, even if I were to speak for a hundred years, I would not be able to express the glory of Kāśī in its entirety. Therefore I shall describe it only to the extent of my capacity.

Word by Word

• काश्याः: of Kāśī
• काश्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), षष्ठी (Gen.6), एकवचन (Sg)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• महिमानम्: greatness
• महिमानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया (Acc.2), एकवचन (Sg)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Particle/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• वक्तुम्: to describe
• वक्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/Infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), “to speak”

• वर्ष-शतैः: by hundreds of years
• वर्ष-शतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; measure of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), तृतीया (Instr.3), बहुवचन (Pl); समासः—तत्पुरुष (“by hundreds of years”)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even)

• शक्नोमि: I am able
• शक्नोमि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nom.1), एकवचन (Sg); सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• सर्वम्: everything (completely)
• सर्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), द्वितीया (Acc.2), एकवचन (Sg); “everything”

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• यथा-शक्ति: as far as (my) ability allows
• यथा-शक्ति: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + शक्ति (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial): “according to (my) ability”

• ब्रुवे: I speak
• ब्रुवे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• ततः: therefore/so
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Kotirudra context of Jyotirlinga-tirtha glorification)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Sūta confesses the inexhaustibility of Kāśī’s mahimā—an established Purāṇic trope indicating that the kṣetra’s glory transcends discursive description; only a partial account can be given.

Significance: Encourages śraddhā: the kṣetra’s greatness is ‘ananta’; hearing even a portion is meritorious and motivates pilgrimage and devotion.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Kashi

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Kāśī’s mahimā as essentially immeasurable, implying that Shiva’s grace embodied in this sacred kṣetra transcends ordinary description; devotion and direct practice there are emphasized over mere discourse.

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

In the Kotirudra focus on Jyotirlinga-tirthas, Kāśī is approached through Saguna Shiva—Shiva present as the worship-worthy Lord of the kṣetra and as Linga-presence—whose tangible grace in a holy place exceeds what words can fully capture.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to engage in kṣetra-bhakti: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-pūjā, and pilgrimage-minded remembrance of Kāśī’s sanctity, since experience and practice are presented as more complete than verbal description.