Shloka 44

मेना-शिवदर्शन-प्रस्थानम् | Menā’s Quest to Behold Śiva

Departure for Śiva’s Darśana

Devanagari script

अस्याः किं वर्ण्यते भाग्यमपि वर्षशतैरपि । वर्णितुं शक्यते नैव तत्प्रभुप्राप्तिदर्शनात

Transliteration

asyāḥ kiṃ varṇyate bhāgyamapi varṣaśatairapi | varṇituṃ śakyate naiva tatprabhuprāptidarśanāta

Translation

What can be said of her good fortune—even over hundreds of years? It cannot truly be described at all, for it is evident in her attainment of that Lord and the direct vision of Him.

Word by Word

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• भाग्यम्: fortune
• भाग्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: निपात (particle)

• वर्ष-शतैः: by hundreds of years
• वर्ष-शतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां शतानि)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• वर्णितुम्: to describe
• वर्णितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्-प्रभु-प्राप्ति-दर्शनात्: because of the sight of attaining that Lord
• तत्-प्रभु-प्राप्ति-दर्शनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य प्रभोः प्राप्तेः दर्शनात्)

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it is a bhāgya-statement grounded in ‘prabhu-prāpti’ and ‘darśana’—the hallmark of grace-bestowed realization.

Significance: Affirms that the highest fortune is Śiva-darśana and attainment of the Pati; encourages śravaṇa-bhakti and surrender as pathways to anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse proclaims that the highest “fortune” is not worldly prosperity but the soul’s (paśu’s) direct encounter with Pati—Lord Śiva—through His grace, culminating in darśana and true attainment.

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

It points to Saguna Śiva’s accessibility: the Lord becomes knowable through darśana and relationship. In Linga-worship, the devotee seeks this same prabhu-prāpti—Shiva’s living presence and nearness—beyond mere ritual formality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady bhakti leading to darśana: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), coupled with simple Śiva-pūjā (Linga-abhiṣeka when possible) and contemplative remembrance of Śiva as the compassionate Lord who grants vision.