Shloka 69

रावणस्य तपः-शिवानुग्रहः — Rāvaṇa’s Austerity and Śiva’s Bestowal of Grace

Devanagari script

गिरीशोपि तदा दृष्ट्वा किं जातमिति सोब्रवीत् । गिरिजा च तदा शंभुं प्रत्युवाच विहस्य तम्

Transliteration

girīśopi tadā dṛṣṭvā kiṃ jātamiti sobravīt | girijā ca tadā śaṃbhuṃ pratyuvāca vihasya tam

Translation

Then Girīśa (Lord Śiva), seeing what had occurred, said, “What has happened?” Thereupon Girijā (Pārvatī), smiling, replied to Śambhu.

Word by Word

• गिरीशः: Giriśa (Śiva)
• गिरीशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरीश (प्रातिपदिक: गिरि + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having seen’

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• जातम्: has happened
• जातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘happened/occurred’ (agreeing with किम्)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गिरिजा: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक: गिरि + जा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• शम्भुम्: to Śambhu
• शम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विहस्य: smiling
• विहस्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having laughed/smiled’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Suta Goswami, describing Shiva and Parvati’s dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva as the compassionate, accessible Pati (Lord) who attentively inquires into events and receives Devī’s response with intimacy—showing that divine grace operates through gentle, relational dialogue, not only through austere transcendence.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—Śambhu as a personal Lord who speaks, asks, and listens. Such narration supports devotional worship (bhakti) toward Śiva as a living presence, which complements Linga worship as His gracious, approachable form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is smaraṇa (remembrance) and japa with a conversational bhāva—mentally addressing Śiva with sincerity, such as repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while cultivating a gentle, trusting inner dialogue with the Lord.