Shloka 51

ब्राह्मणीस्वर्गतिवर्णनम्

Brāhmaṇī-Svargati-Varṇana: Account of a Brāhmaṇa Woman’s Ascent to Heaven

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वपुच्छं तदा कृत्वा शीघ्रं गौर्नर्मदां प्रति । आगत्य नन्दिकस्यास्य समीपे नर्मदाजले

Transliteration

ūrdhvapucchaṃ tadā kṛtvā śīghraṃ gaurnarmadāṃ prati | āgatya nandikasyāsya samīpe narmadājale

Translation

Then, raising her tail high, the cow swiftly went toward the Narmadā. Reaching the waters of the Narmadā, she drew near to Nandikeśvara (Nandi) and remained beside him there.

Word by Word

• ūrdhva-puccham: (its) tail raised/upward
• ūrdhva-puccham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + puccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; used adverbially with kṛtvā (having made the tail raised)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done/made’

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• gauḥ: the cow
• gauḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• narmadām: Narmadā (river)
• narmadām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/गति-लक्ष्य), एकवचन

• prati: towards
• prati: Sampradāna/Dik (सम्प्रदान/दिक्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition) governing accusative; direction ‘towards’

• āgatya: having come
• āgatya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having come’

• nandikasya: of Nandī
• nandikasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• asya: of this (one)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• samīpe: near
• samīpe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• narmadā-jale: in the water of the Narmadā
• narmadā-jale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (narmadāyāḥ jale)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Nandi
• Narmada

FAQs

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

It highlights tirtha-mahima: sacred waters like the Narmadā become spiritually potent when approached with devotion, especially in the presence of Shiva’s foremost devotee, Nandi—signifying that bhakti and holy association purify the soul (paśu) and loosen bondage (pāśa).

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

Nandi is the paradigmatic attendant of Saguna Shiva and the guardian of Shiva’s abode and shrines; approaching Nandi near a sacred river suggests the proper devotional approach to Shiva-linga worship—humility, purity, and reverence for Shiva’s devotees and pilgrimage settings linked to Jyotirlinga narratives.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tirtha-snana (ritual bathing) with Shiva-smaraṇa: bathe in a sacred river like the Narmadā, then offer prayers to Shiva with the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” honoring Nandi as the ideal of steadfast devotion.