Shloka 8

पूर्वगतिवर्णनम् (Pūrvagati-varṇana) — “Description of the Prior Course / Earlier Lineage Account”

Devanagari script

अयोनिजाः स्वधायाश्च लोकतस्तत्सुता मताः । आसाम्प्रोच्य सुनामानि सर्वान्कामाञ्जनो लभेत्

Transliteration

ayonijāḥ svadhāyāśca lokatastatsutā matāḥ | āsāmprocya sunāmāni sarvānkāmāñjano labhet

Translation

These maidens are said to be ayoni-jā, not born from a womb, and in the worlds they are regarded as the daughters of Svadhā. Whoever reverently utters their auspicious names attains all desired aims.

Word by Word

• अयोनिजाः: not womb-born; unbegotten
• अयोनिजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-योनिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; नञ्-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण (fem. nom. pl.)

• स्वधायाः: Svadhās (a class/name)
• स्वधायाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (fem. nom. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोकतः: from the world; in the world’s view
• लोकतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb); पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (from the world)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that)

• सुताः: daughters
• सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (fem. nom. pl.)

• मताः: are considered
• मताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगे ‘considered/held to be’

• आसाम्: of these (women)
• आसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (of these)

• प्रोच्य: having uttered
• प्रोच्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having proclaimed/uttered’

• सुनामानि: good names
• सुनामानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु + नामानि)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (all)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (desires)

• जनः: a person
• जनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (person)

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Svadhā

FAQs

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

The verse teaches the Shaiva-Purāṇic principle that śraddhā-filled recitation of sacred names (nāma) carries śakti: it purifies intention, aligns the devotee with dharma, and grants both worldly aims and higher merit when done as an offering.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, nāma-japa is a primary limb of devotion alongside liṅga-pūjā; reciting divine names is treated as an inner offering (mānasa-upacāra) that supports external worship and steadies the mind toward Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa/nāma-japa: recite the auspicious names with reverence (ideally after simple purification), and mentally dedicate the fruit to Śiva—this converts desire-driven prayer into a disciplined devotional practice.