Shloka 5

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । सम्यक्पृष्टमृषिश्रेष्ठा भवद्भिः करुणात्मभिः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदांभोजं कथयामि यथाश्रुतम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | samyakpṛṣṭamṛṣiśreṣṭhā bhavadbhiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ | smṛtvā śivapadāṃbhojaṃ kathayāmi yathāśrutam

Translation

Sūta said: O best of sages, you compassionate ones have asked well. Remembering the lotus-like feet of Śiva, I shall relate it exactly as I have heard.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्यक्: properly, rightly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (here: predicate/qualifier)

• ऋषिश्रेष्ठाः: O best of sages
• ऋषिश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ऋषीणां श्रेष्ठाः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक

• करुणात्मभिः: by you who are compassionate-hearted
• करुणात्मभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुणा + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘करुणा आत्मा यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘भवद्भिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• शिवपदाम्भोजम्: Śiva’s lotus-feet
• शिवपदाम्भोजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पद + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवस्य पदाम्भोजम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कथयामि: I narrate / I will tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; कथ् + णिच्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रेरणार्थक (causative stem)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relational)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as, in the manner that)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; content)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यथा’ इत्यनेन सह अव्ययीभावार्थे (as heard)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: smaraṇa of Śiva’s pāda (lotus-feet) is treated as a direct means to prasāda; in kṣetra traditions, pāda-smaraṇa accompanies darśana and vrata observance.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes the Shaiva posture of narration: true teaching begins with remembrance of Śiva’s feet (bhakti), and the listener’s compassionate intent makes the inquiry worthy; knowledge is then transmitted faithfully through śravaṇa-paramparā (“as heard”).

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus feet indicates saguna-upāsanā—devotional contemplation of Śiva’s gracious form—through which the devotee becomes fit to receive accounts of Śiva’s manifestations, including Jyotirliṅgas praised in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is to begin listening/reading with smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva—mentally bowing to his feet and reciting a Śaiva mantra such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligning the mind for śravaṇa and devotion.