Shloka 55

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

अधिष्ठानं च सर्वेषां कर्ता हर्ता च स प्रभुः । निर्विकारी त्रिदेवेशो ह्यविनाशी सनातनः

Transliteration

adhiṣṭhānaṃ ca sarveṣāṃ kartā hartā ca sa prabhuḥ | nirvikārī trideveśo hyavināśī sanātanaḥ

Translation

He is the underlying support of all; that Lord is both the doer and the withdrawer. Unchanging, the Lord of the three gods, He is imperishable and eternal.

Word by Word

• अधिष्ठानम्: support, substratum
• अधिष्ठानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• कर्ता: doer, creator
• कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तृच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हर्ता: remover, destroyer
• हर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तृच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

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

• प्रभुः: Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निर्विकारी: unchanging
• निर्विकारी: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-तत्पुरुष (विकाररहितः)

• त्रि-देव-ईशः: lord of the three gods
• त्रि-देव-ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रयाणां देवानाम् ईशः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• अविनाशी: imperishable
• अविनाशी: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + विनाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (विनाशरहितः)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy as taught in the Rudra Saṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva as adhiṣṭhāna (substratum) and as kartā-hartā; supports kṣetra-darśana as seeking the imperishable ground beyond the changing world.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implicit pralaya-doctrine (withdrawal/saṃhāra) via ‘hartā’ and imperishability beyond dissolution.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the eternal, imperishable ground of all existence—who performs creation and withdrawal without undergoing change, guiding the devotee toward liberation through recognition of the Supreme.

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

Though Shiva is described as nirvikārī (beyond change), devotees approach Him through Saguna worship—especially the Shiva Linga—as the accessible symbol of the formless substratum and sovereign Lord of all.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the unchanging support within all experiences while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligning devotion with the understanding of His imperishable nature.