Shloka 34

Devanagari script

भक्तेश्च प्रेम संप्रोक्तं प्रेम्णश्च श्रवणन्तथा । श्रवणाच्चापि सत्संगस्सत्संगाच्च गुरुर्बुधः

Transliteration

bhakteśca prema saṃproktaṃ premṇaśca śravaṇantathā | śravaṇāccāpi satsaṃgassatsaṃgācca gururbudhaḥ

Translation

From devotion, love is said to arise; and from love, sacred hearing is born. From hearing comes holy company, and from holy company the wise Guru is attained.

Word by Word

• भक्तेः: of devotion / from devotion
• भक्तेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रेम: love
• प्रेम: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• संप्रोक्तम्: is declared / is taught
• संप्रोक्तम्: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘संप्रोक्तम्’ = “is declared/has been stated”

• प्रेम्णः: from love / of love
• प्रेम्णः: अपादान (source; Ablative sense expressed via genitive in chain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्रवणम्: hearing
• श्रवणम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise / thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• श्रवणात्: from hearing
• श्रवणात्: अपादान (Apādāna/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• सत्सङ्गः: company of the good (satsang)
• सत्सङ्गः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative): सताम् सङ्गः

• सत्सङ्गात्: from satsang
• सत्सङ्गात्: अपादान (Apādāna/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गुरुः: a guru / teacher
• गुरुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बुधः: wise
• बुधः: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) गुरोः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva path of maturation: bhakti ripens into prema (selfless love), which naturally seeks śravaṇa (hearing Shiva-kathā). That hearing purifies the mind, draws one to sat-saṅga, and culminates in meeting a wise Guru who can firmly establish Shiva-realization and the means to moksha.

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

Śravaṇa and sat-saṅga deepen saguna-upāsanā of Shiva—such as Linga worship—by replacing mechanical ritual with loving remembrance. Through the Guru, devotion to the visible Linga becomes a doorway to grasping Shiva as Pati (the Lord) beyond limitation, while still honoring His sacred form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to daily śravaṇa of Shiva Purana/Śiva-nāma and regular sat-saṅga; under a Guru’s guidance, this commonly matures into steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) along with disciplined Shiva worship practices.