Shloka 53

अत्रीश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Atrīśvara-māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Atrīśvara”

Devanagari script

नत्वा स्तुत्वा करौ बद्ध्वा महाभक्तिसमन्वितौ । अवोचेतां समभ्यर्च्य शंकरं लोकशंकरम्

Transliteration

natvā stutvā karau baddhvā mahābhaktisamanvitau | avocetāṃ samabhyarcya śaṃkaraṃ lokaśaṃkaram

Translation

Having bowed down, praised Him, and joined their hands in reverent supplication—filled with great devotion—they duly worshipped Śaṅkara, the benefactor of the worlds, and then spoke.

Word by Word

• natvā: having bowed
• natvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: नम्, अर्थे: प्रणामे; पूर्वक्रिया (having done first)

• stutvā: having praised
• stutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: स्तु, स्तुतौ; पूर्वक्रिया

• karau: (their) hands (two)
• karau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2nd/1st case dual; form: करौ); here as object of ‘baddhvā’

• baddhvā: having joined/held (together)
• baddhvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: बन्ध्, बन्धने; पूर्वक्रिया

• mahābhakti-samanvitau: endowed with great devotion
• mahābhakti-samanvitau: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणप्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; समास: महाभक्त्या समन्वितौ (instrumental-tatpurusha)

• avocetām: they two said
• avocetām: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; धातु: वच्; रूपम्: अवोचेताम्

• samabhyarcya: having duly worshipped
• samabhyarcya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्गौ: सम् + अभि; धातु: अर्च्, पूजायाम्; पूर्वक्रिया

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṃkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• lokaśaṃkaram: benefactor of the world
• lokaśaṃkaram: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे: लोकस्य शंकरः (benefactor of the world); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to śaṃkaram)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse depicts standard bhakti-krama—namaskāra, stuti, añjali, arcana—by which a local Śiva-sthala becomes efficacious; it reads like a template for tīrtha worship.

Significance: Models proper approach to Śiva: humility (natvā), praise (stutvā), surrender (añjali), and worship (abhyarcya), culminating in the right to petition the Lord.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta ethic of approaching Pati (Lord Shiva) through humility (namaskara), praise (stuti), and wholehearted bhakti, after which one’s prayer and speech become fit to receive Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

The verse models Saguna-upasana: devotees first perform respectful gestures—bowing, praising, and anjali—then complete worship (archana) of Śaṅkara, the world-benefactor, which is the standard devotional approach to the Shiva Linga in Purana practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform anjali (folded hands) with namaskara, recite a Shiva stotra or the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), then offer simple archana to the Linga before presenting one’s request or prayer.