Shloka 23

शिवस्य तपोऽनुष्ठानम् — Śiva’s Austerity and Meditation at Himavat

Gaṅgā-Region

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा मां दासमव्यग्रमाज्ञान्देहि महेश्वर । त्वत्सेवां च महाप्रीत्या कुर्यामहमनन्यधीः

Transliteration

jñātvā māṃ dāsamavyagramājñāndehi maheśvara | tvatsevāṃ ca mahāprītyā kuryāmahamananyadhīḥ

Translation

Knowing me to be Your undistracted servant, O Maheśvara, please grant me Your command, so that with great love I may serve You with exclusive, one-pointed devotion.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā: prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having known’

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma: object of ज्ञात्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दासम्: (as) a servant
• दासम्: कर्म (Karma: in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; apposition to माम्

• अव्यग्रम्: undistracted, unagitated
• अव्यग्रम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दासम्/माम्)

• आज्ञाम्: command, instruction
• आज्ञाम्: कर्म (Karma: object of देहि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महेश्वर: O Maheshvara
• महेश्वर: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana: address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• त्वत्-सेवाम्: service to you
• त्वत्-सेवाम्: कर्म (Karma: object of कुर्याम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘your service’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• महाप्रीत्या: with great love
• महाप्रीत्या: करण (Karaṇa: means/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महती प्रीतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कुर्याम्: may I do, would I perform
• कुर्याम्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta: subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनन्यधीः: one whose mind is undivided (single-minded)
• अनन्यधीः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्यधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्य धीरनन्या सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अहम्)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse presents the Shaiva Siddhanta ideal of ananya-bhakti: the soul (paśu) seeks the Lord (Pati) not by egoic demand but by humble readiness to receive His ājñā (divine instruction) and to serve with unwavering, love-filled attention—an inner discipline that ripens into grace (anugraha).

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

By asking for Shiva’s command and offering joyful service, the devotee approaches Saguna Shiva as Maheśvara—personally present and responsive. In Linga-worship, this attitude is expressed through reverent upacāras (offerings) and steady remembrance, treating the Linga not as a symbol alone but as the living locus of Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is one-pointed seva: daily Shiva-pūjā to the Linga with focused mind, japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with exclusivity (ananya-dhī), and simple disciplines like applying tripuṇḍra-bhasma and wearing rudrākṣa as supports for undistracted devotion.