Shloka 56

Śiva-jñāna and the Non-dual Vision of a Śiva-maya Universe (शिवज्ञानम्—सर्वं शिवमयम्)

Devanagari script

परस्परं च संतुष्टाः सूतस्ते च सुबुद्धयः । शंभुं देवं परं मत्वा नमंति स्म भजंति च

Transliteration

parasparaṃ ca saṃtuṣṭāḥ sūtaste ca subuddhayaḥ | śaṃbhuṃ devaṃ paraṃ matvā namaṃti sma bhajaṃti ca

Translation

Pleased with one another, those wise sages (and Sūta) regarded Śambhu as the Supreme Deity; they bowed to Him and continued to worship Him with devotion.

Word by Word

• परस्परम्: mutually
• परस्परम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावप्रयोगे क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — mutually/each other

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• संतुष्टाः: satisfied
• संतुष्टाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतुष्ट (कृदन्त; तुष् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — satisfied

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• ते: they/those
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — pronoun; those/they

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सुबुद्धयः: the wise (good-minded ones)
• सुबुद्धयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — nominative plural; ‘good-intellect’ = wise; components: सु (good) + बुद्धि (intellect)

• शंभुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — accusative singular

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — apposition to शंभुम्

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — accusative singular; qualifying शंभुम्/देवम्

• मत्वा: having regarded (as)
• मत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — having considered/knowing (as)

• नमन्ति: they bow
• नमन्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम् — they bow

• स्म: indeed/then (past marker)
• स्म: कालबोधक (Tense-marker/कालबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपातः (particle indicating past/continuative sense with present form)

• भजन्ति: they worship
• भजन्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम् — they worship/serve

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit of recognizing Śiva (Śambhu) as Parameśvara (the Supreme Lord) and responding through humility (namana) and sustained devotion (bhajana), supported by harmony among devotees.

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

By affirming Śambhu as the Supreme Deity, the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—worship of Śiva in accessible forms such as the Śivaliṅga—where bowing and devotional service become the lived expression of that recognition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is namaskāra and bhakti: daily prostration before Śiva (especially before the Liṅga) and steady worship—often paired in Shiva Purana practice with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”