Shloka 16

ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya

Devanagari script

पुरा युधिष्ठिरेणैव पृष्टश्च ऋषिसत्तमः । यथोवाच तथा वच्मि भवत्स्नेहानुसारतः

Transliteration

purā yudhiṣṭhireṇaiva pṛṣṭaśca ṛṣisattamaḥ | yathovāca tathā vacmi bhavatsnehānusārataḥ

Translation

Formerly, the foremost of sages was questioned by Yudhiṣṭhira himself. Just as he spoke then, so do I speak now—moved by affection for you.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: formerly)

• युधिष्ठिरेण: by Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive construction: the one who was asked)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ऋषि-सत्तमः: the best of sages
• ऋषि-सत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘best of sages’)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakāra (प्रकार/ manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थक/प्रकारवाचक (as/how)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूपार्थक (thus/in that manner)

• वच्मि: I speak
• वच्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भवत्-स्नेह-अनुसारतः: according to your affection
• भवत्-स्नेह-अनुसारतः: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसार (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘according to’); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमास (bhavat-sneha: ‘your affection’) + तदनुसार (in accordance with that)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Yudhishthira

FAQs

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

It establishes an authentic lineage of Shaiva teaching: sacred knowledge is repeated exactly as heard from realized sages, and devotion (sneha/bhakti) becomes the motive for sharing Shiva-kathā.

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

By grounding the narration in reliable tradition, it prepares the listener to receive Jyotirlinga and Saguna Shiva worship instructions as śāstra-backed, not invented—fit for faith-filled practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śravaṇa (devotional listening) and smaraṇa (recollection) of Shiva Purana kathā—hearing the account with trust and repeating it faithfully as a form of bhakti-sādhana.