Shloka 16

Devanagari script

किमर्थमागता देवि तन्मे ब्रूहि विशेषतः । अहं दासीसमा ते हि ससुता करुणां कुरु

Transliteration

kimarthamāgatā devi tanme brūhi viśeṣataḥ | ahaṃ dāsīsamā te hi sasutā karuṇāṃ kuru

Translation

O Goddess, for what purpose have you come? Tell me clearly and in detail. I am as your maidservant, together with my son; please show compassion to us.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• अर्थम्: purpose/reason
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• आगता: (you) have come
• आगता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agrees with ‘देवि’

• देवि: O goddess/lady
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• मे: to me / my
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; enclitic genitive

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विशेषतः: especially/in detail
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

• दासी-समा: like a maidservant
• दासी-समा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-तत्पुरुष: ‘दासी इव समा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agrees with ‘अहम्’ (speaker as female)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; enclitic genitive

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

• स-सुता: together with (my) daughter
• स-सुता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘सह’) + सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुतया सह’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; qualifies speaker

• करुणाम्: compassion
• करुणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कुरु: do/show
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

A woman devotee/supplicant addressing Goddess Pārvatī (Umā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames a devotee’s surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Devī for compassionate intervention.

Significance: Models dāsya-bhāva and prapatti: humility and appeal for karuṇā, understood in Śaiva Siddhānta as the soul’s readiness for Śiva’s/Śakti’s anugraha that loosens pāśa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): the devotee approaches the Divine Mother with humility and requests karuṇā (grace), reflecting the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that liberation and well-being arise through the Lord’s/Devi’s anugraha (bestowing grace) upon the surrendered soul.

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

Although addressed to Pārvatī, the mood is Saguna-bhakti—approaching the Divine in a compassionate, personal form. In Shiva tradition, such surrender supports Linga worship as well: the devotee seeks divine anugraha through prayer, service-attitude, and reverence toward Śiva-Śakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is humble prayer before Śiva/Śakti (with japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), accompanied by simple acts of devotion like offering water/flowers, and maintaining a service-attitude (dāsya-bhāva) while seeking grace for oneself and one’s family.