Shloka 19

नन्दिकेश्वरशिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

The Māhātmya of the Nandikeśvara Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

ततः प्रणम्य तं शंभुं परमेशसुखावहम् । तुष्टाव साञ्जलिः साध्वी नतस्कन्धा शुभाशया

Transliteration

tataḥ praṇamya taṃ śaṃbhuṃ parameśasukhāvaham | tuṣṭāva sāñjaliḥ sādhvī nataskandhā śubhāśayā

Translation

Then, bowing down to that Śambhu—who bestows the bliss of the Supreme Lord—the virtuous lady, with hands folded in reverence, praised Him, her shoulders bent in humility and her heart filled with auspicious intent.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/thereupon')

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇam (प्र-नम्, धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śaṃbhum: Śambhu
• śaṃbhum: Karma (कर्म/Object-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (शम्भु, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तं इति सर्वनामस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• parameśa-sukha-āvaham: bestower of supreme happiness
• parameśa-sukha-āvaham: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parameśa (परमेश, प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (सुख, प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (आवह, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: 'bringing the happiness of the Supreme Lord' / 'bringing supreme happiness'); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with śaṃbhum)

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (स्तु, धातु)
• Form: तिङन्त, लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• añjaliḥ: with folded hands
• añjaliḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-attribute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (अञ्जलि, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स-उपसर्गेण 'साञ्जलिः' इत्यर्थः (with hands folded)

• sādhvī: the virtuous woman
• sādhvī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhvī (साध्वी, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे

• nata-skandhā: with bowed shoulders
• nata-skandhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nata (नत, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + skandha (स्कन्ध, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya: 'with shoulders bowed'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with sā)

• śubha-āśayā: with auspicious intent
• śubha-āśayā: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (शुभ, प्रातिपदिक) + āśaya (आशय, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: 'with auspicious intention'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (instrumental of āśayā as feminine form used adjectivally), तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents bhakti as a direct means to Parameśvara’s grace: humble prostration (praṇāma) and heartfelt praise (stuti) align the devotee toward Śiva, the giver of supreme auspicious bliss (parameśa-sukha).

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

The verse emphasizes embodied devotion—folded hands and reverent praise—typical of Saguna Śiva worship, which in the Kotirudra context supports Jyotirliṅga pilgrimage and Liṅga-upāsanā as accessible forms of approaching the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali with praṇāma before Śiva (or the Liṅga), then offer stuti/japa with an auspicious intention—ideally alongside Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the inner support of devotion.