Shloka 33

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

किमर्थन्तु भवन्तश्च सर्वे देवाः प्रपञ्चिताः । रूपमस्याः परन्नाम व्यर्थीकर्तुं समुद्यतः

Transliteration

kimarthantu bhavantaśca sarve devāḥ prapañcitāḥ | rūpamasyāḥ parannāma vyarthīkartuṃ samudyataḥ

Translation

For what purpose, indeed, have all of you gods come here in such display and commotion—are you intent on rendering futile the supreme, transcendent beauty and true Name (glory) of this Goddess?

Word by Word

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

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

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (निपात)

• भवन्तः: you (honored ones)
• भवन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; honorific pronoun ‘you (sirs)’

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

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying ‘देवाः’

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• प्रपञ्चिताः: have been elaborated/expounded
• प्रपञ्चिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पञ्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; used predicatively with implied ‘अस्मि/स्थ’

• रूपम्: form/appearance
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• परम्: supreme/other
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘नाम’

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• व्यर्थी-कर्तुम्: to render futile
• व्यर्थी-कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यर्थी-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to make futile’; अव्ययभाव (infinitival)

• समुद्यताः: ready/undertaking
• समुद्यताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-√यम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having undertaken/ready’ qualifying ‘देवाः’

Speaker

Pārvatī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Devas

FAQs

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

Pārvatī challenges outward spectacle and ego-driven intervention, affirming that the divine rūpa (manifest form) and nāma (sacred name/glory) are supreme and should not be undermined; in Shaiva thought, true devotion protects the sanctity of the Divine as both transcendent and immanent.

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

It underscores reverence for sacred manifestation: just as the Liṅga is a holy focus for Saguna worship while pointing to the Supreme beyond form, the Goddess’s form and name are not to be treated as ordinary or obstructed by worldly display; worship should be aligned with humility and dharma, not prapañca (mere show).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-japa with humility—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—along with steady devotional contemplation of the Divine form, avoiding performative religiosity and cultivating inner purity (optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa as aids to remembrance).