Shloka 20

गौतमस्य शिवदर्शनं पापक्षयवचनं च | Gautama’s Vision of Śiva and the Teaching on Sin and Purification

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा वचनं तस्य धृत्वा वै पादपंकजम् । नमश्चकार देवेशं गौतमो लोककाम्यया

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ityuktvā vacanaṃ tasya dhṛtvā vai pādapaṃkajam | namaścakāra deveśaṃ gautamo lokakāmyayā

Translation

Sūta said: Having spoken thus, Gautama—clasping the Lord’s lotus-like feet—bowed in reverence to Śiva, the Lord of the gods, desiring the welfare and fulfillment of the world.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktvā: having spoken
• uktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having said'

• vacanam: words, statement
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• dhṛtvā: having taken/held
• dhṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having held/taken'

• vai: indeed
• vai: Vākyālaṅkāra (वाक्यालङ्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• pāda-paṃkajam: the lotus-feet
• pāda-paṃkajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + paṃkaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-निपात (salutation particle), प्रायः चतुर्थी-अर्थे (to)

• cakāra: did/made
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• deveśam: Lord of the gods
• deveśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• gautamaḥ: Gautama
• gautamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• loka-kāmyayā: for the desire of the world (worldly wish)
• loka-kāmyayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (instrumental of motive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Gautama approaches Śiva for loka-kalyāṇa; the verse frames the devotee’s śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) by grasping the Lord’s lotus-feet, a classic Purāṇic marker of grace-bestowal rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga episode.

Significance: Models śaraṇāgati: humility and world-welfare intention (loka-kāmyā) are presented as fit causes for Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gautama

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): taking refuge at Śiva’s lotus feet with humility. In a Śaiva Siddhānta tone, it points to Pati (Śiva) as the supreme refuge whose grace uplifts the soul and supports loka-kalyāṇa (the good of all).

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

Bowing to the Lord’s feet expresses Saguna-bhakti—devotion to Śiva in a worshipable form. In the Kotirudrasaṃhitā context (Jyotirliṅga narratives), such reverence aligns with liṅga-pūjā where the devotee approaches Śiva through tangible symbols and heartfelt namaskāra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice implied is namaskāra with bhāva (devotional intent): mentally taking refuge at Śiva’s feet, offering prostration, and repeating a Śiva-mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while praying for loka-kalyāṇa.