Shloka 22

नन्दिकेश्वरशिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

The Māhātmya of the Nandikeśvara Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

स्वपादयोः परां भक्तिं देहि मे ह्यनपायिनीम् । अयमेव वरो नाथ किमन्यदधिकं ह्यतः

Transliteration

svapādayoḥ parāṃ bhaktiṃ dehi me hyanapāyinīm | ayameva varo nātha kimanyadadhikaṃ hyataḥ

Translation

Grant me supreme devotion to Your lotus-feet—devotion that never departs. This alone is the boon, O Lord; what could be greater than this?

Word by Word

• स्व: your own
• स्व: सम्बन्ध (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective) — ‘own’; (here) समास-पूर्वपदभावे अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (used as first member)

• पादयोः: of (your) two feet
• पादयोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Locative 6th/7th), द्विवचन (Dual) — here genitive ‘of the two feet’

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular) — विशेषण (adjective)

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देहि: give
• देहि: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular) — enclitic form

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (particle) — emphasis/assurance

• अनपायिनीम्: unfailing, non-departing
• अनपायिनीम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन-अपायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण (negative adjective): ‘not departing’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular) — भक्तिम् इति विशेषण

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: alone, only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• वरः: boon
• वरः: प्रधानीय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाथ: O Lord
• नाथ: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular) — here as ‘what?’

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘other’ (elliptic: other boon)

• अधिकम्: greater, more
• अधिकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular) — comparative sense ‘greater/more’

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (particle) — emphasis

• अतः: than this/therefore
• अतः: सम्बन्ध (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), हेत्वर्थ/अपादानार्थ (causal/ablatival adverb) — ‘therefore/from this’

Speaker

A devoted supplicant (bhakta) praying to Lord Shiva (as narrated by Suta Goswami in the Kotirudra context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

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?

The verse declares that the highest blessing is anapāyinī (unfailing) parā-bhakti—steadfast devotion to Shiva’s feet—because such devotion purifies the soul (paśu) and leads it toward Shiva’s grace and liberation (moksha) in a Shaiva Siddhanta sense.

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

Devotion to Shiva’s feet is practiced through Saguna worship—especially Linga worship—where the devotee seeks not mere material results but the stable inner orientation of bhakti that culminates in Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Linga-puja with Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), offering water and bilva, while mentally praying for unwavering devotion rather than temporary boons.