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Shloka 17

शिवस्य तपोऽनुष्ठानम् — Śiva’s Austerity and Meditation at Himavat

Gaṅgā-Region

विष्णुब्रह्मादिसेव्याय विष्णुब्रह्मस्वरूपिणे । विष्णुब्रह्मकदात्रे ते भक्तप्रिय नमोऽस्तु ते

viṣṇubrahmādisevyāya viṣṇubrahmasvarūpiṇe | viṣṇubrahmakadātre te bhaktapriya namo'stu te

Salutations to You—worshipped even by Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and the other gods; to You who assume the very forms of Viṣṇu and Brahmā; to You who bestow upon Viṣṇu and Brahmā their offices and powers. O Beloved of devotees, may my homage be to You.

विष्णुब्रह्मादिसेव्यायto Him who is to be served by Vishnu, Brahma, and others
विष्णुब्रह्मादिसेव्याय:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
TypeAdjective
Rootविष्णु + ब्रह्म + आदि + सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः: (विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदि)-सेव्य; ‘सेव्य’ = सेव् (धातु) + यत् (gerundive) ‘to be served’; चतुर्थी-सम्प्रदानार्थः
विष्णुब्रह्मस्वरूपिणेto Him whose form is Vishnu and Brahma
विष्णुब्रह्मस्वरूपिणे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु + ब्रह्म + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णु-ब्रह्मणोः स्वरूपं यस्य/स्वरूपिन्)
विष्णुब्रह्मकदात्रेto the giver (bestower) of Vishnu and Brahma
विष्णुब्रह्मकदात्रे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु + ब्रह्म + क + दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; दातृ = ‘giver’; ‘क’ here taken as indeclinable particle within compound per transmitted reading (कदात्रे)
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; enclitic form
भक्तप्रियdear to devotees
भक्तप्रिय:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
TypeAdjective
Rootभक्त + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थेऽपि प्रथमा-रूपप्रयोगः); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भक्तानां प्रियः)
नमःsalutation
नमः:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Salutation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनिपात/अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक (salutatory particle)
अस्तुmay it be
अस्तु:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive usage), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे ‘let it be’
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; enclitic form

Parvati (as a devotee offering praise to Lord Shiva in the Parvati Khanda context)

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

S
Shiva
V
Vishnu
B
Brahma

FAQs

The verse affirms Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Lord—who is worshipped even by Vishnu and Brahma, and who grants them their cosmic roles; devotion (bhakti) to such a Lord becomes a direct means toward grace and liberation.

By praising Shiva as the personal, approachable Lord who is “bhakta-priya,” the verse supports Saguna-upasana—worship of Shiva with attributes—commonly expressed in Linga worship, where the Supreme is adored in a consecrated, accessible form.

A practical takeaway is stotra-japa and nama-smarana: reciting such salutations with the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while offering water, bilva leaves, or vibhuti (Tripundra) in a devotional mood.