Shloka 23

Devanagari script

प्रणिपातैस्स्तवैर्दिव्यैश्शिवं संतोष्य यत्नतः । प्रार्थयामास सद्भक्त्या स रामश्शंकरं मुदा

Transliteration

praṇipātaisstavairdivyaiśśivaṃ saṃtoṣya yatnataḥ | prārthayāmāsa sadbhaktyā sa rāmaśśaṃkaraṃ mudā

Translation

Having earnestly pleased Lord Śiva through prostrations and divine hymns, Rāma—filled with pure devotion—joyfully prayed to Śaṅkara.

Word by Word

• प्रणिपातैः: with prostrations
• प्रणिपातैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणिपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• स्तवैः: with hymns
• स्तवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘स्तवैः’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संतोष्य: having pleased
• संतोष्य: Kriya (क्रिया—पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√तुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—having pleased/satisfied

• यत्नतः: earnestly
• यत्नतः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्नतः (अव्यय; यत्न + तस्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘carefully/with effort’

• प्रार्थयामास: prayed/beseeched
• प्रार्थयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थः—‘begged/prayed’

• सद्-भक्त्या: with true devotion
• सद्-भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—सती भक्ति: (true/devout devotion)

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

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शंकरम्: Shankara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; भावः—‘with joy’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Shankara

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse culminates the ritual arc: after upacāras, the devotee offers praṇipāta and stava, then prārthanā—mirroring the Purāṇic pattern where worship ripens into petition and finally grace.

Significance: Emphasizes bhakti as relational: prostration, hymnody, and heartfelt prayer invite Śiva’s anugraha, the decisive liberating factor in Siddhānta.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rama
• Shankara

FAQs

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

It highlights that Śiva is pleased not merely by external acts, but by earnest effort joined with sadbhakti (pure devotion); such devotion naturally ripens into prayerful surrender to Pati (the Lord).

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

The verse depicts Saguna-upāsanā—approaching Śaṅkara through visible acts like pranipāta and stotra; in Jyotirliṅga contexts of the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā, this is the practical doorway by which devotees receive Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular namaskāra (prostration) and stotra-pāṭha (recitation of hymns) with focused intent; these can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a devotional discipline.