Shloka 43

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

स शंकरो मया ज्ञातस्सर्वेषां प्रतिपालकः । पूज्यानां पूज्य एवासौ कर्तानुग्रहनिग्रहान्

Transliteration

sa śaṃkaro mayā jñātassarveṣāṃ pratipālakaḥ | pūjyānāṃ pūjya evāsau kartānugrahanigrahān

Translation

I have come to know that Śaṅkara is the protector of all. He alone is worthy of worship even among the worship-worthy, and He bestows both grace and restraint upon beings.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमपुरुषार्थे उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ज्ञातः: (is) known/recognized
• ज्ञातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अस्ति’ अध्याहृतम्

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रतिपालकः: protector
• प्रतिपालकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-पाल् (धातु) → प्रतिपालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-ण्वुल्/अक-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• पूज्यानाम्: of the venerable ones
• पूज्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘पूज्य’ = तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (worthy of worship)

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship
• पूज्यः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: only/indeed)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्ता: doer/agent
• कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृच् (agent noun)

• अनुग्रह-निग्रहान्: favors and restraints (grace and punishment)
• अनुग्रह-निग्रहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अनुग्रहश्च निग्रहश्च)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse affirms Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who sustains all beings and guides souls through both anugraha (grace) and nigraha (corrective restraint), leading them toward purification and liberation.

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

Calling Śaṅkara “the worship-worthy among the worship-worthy” supports Saguna upāsanā: devotees approach the supreme through Śiva’s worshipful form—often as the Śiva-liṅga—recognizing Him as the highest refuge and protector.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is steady Śiva-bhakti with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offered with reverence as worship of the supreme protector; this aligns well with Mahāśivarātri vrata and liṅga-pūjā.