Shloka 35

देवगुरुप्रेषणम्

Himālaya Mission of the Gods’ Preceptor / The Gods Send Their Guru

Devanagari script

तं च दृष्ट्वा समुत्तस्थौ सगणोऽपि हिमालयः । ननाम दण्डवद्भूमौ भक्त्यातिथिमपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

taṃ ca dṛṣṭvā samuttasthau sagaṇo'pi himālayaḥ | nanāma daṇḍavadbhūmau bhaktyātithimapūrvakam

Translation

Seeing Him, Himālaya—together with all his attendants—rose at once, and in devotion bowed upon the ground like a staff, offering unprecedented reverence to that divine guest.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Hetu/पूर्वक्रिया (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• समुत्तस्थौ: (the two) rose up
• समुत्तस्थौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपदी; कर्तरि

• स-गणः: with his retinue
• स-गणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘सह’ अर्थे (with attendants)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि = also/even

• हिमालयः: Himālaya (the mountain-king)
• हिमालयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता

• ननाम: bowed
• ननाम: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; कर्तरि

• दण्डवत्: prostrately
• दण्डवत्: Prakara (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) = ‘like a staff’, prostrate

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण

• अतिथिम्: the guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• अपूर्वकम्: in an unprecedented manner
• अपूर्वकम्: Prakara (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Characters & Entities

• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It presents bhakti as immediate, embodied surrender: recognizing the Lord’s presence and responding with daṇḍavat praṇāma (full prostration), a Shaiva Siddhanta marker of humility before Pati (the Lord) and the soul’s readiness for grace (anugraha).

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

The verse models reception of Saguna Shiva—God approached as a perceivable, personal presence worthy of atithi-sevā. The same reverence is extended in Linga worship: welcoming Shiva, offering honors, and surrendering ego through physical acts like prostration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daṇḍavat praṇāma with bhāva (devotional intent) before Shiva or the Śiva-liṅga; internally pair it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to cultivate surrender and receptivity to Shiva’s grace.