Shloka 77

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

इति विज्ञाय मेने त्वं शिवान्देहि शिवाय वै । कुहठन्त्यज कुज्ञानं सर्वकार्यविनाशनम्

Transliteration

iti vijñāya mene tvaṃ śivāndehi śivāya vai | kuhaṭhantyaja kujñānaṃ sarvakāryavināśanam

Translation

Knowing thus, he resolved: “You are Śivā—truly offer yourself to Śiva. Abandon crooked obstinacy and cast away false knowledge, for it destroys every noble undertaking.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-hetu (क्रिया-हेतु/circumstantial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having known/understood’

• मेने: thought, considered
• मेने: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष?; actually 3rd person singular Parasmaipada: मेने (आत्मनेपद-लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (pronoun), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शिवान्: Śivas; auspicious ones
• शिवान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कुहठम्: bad obstinacy
• कुहठम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-हठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-पूर्वक (कु- ‘bad’)

• त्यज: abandon
• त्यज: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कुज्ञानम्: wrong knowledge
• कुज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-पूर्वक (कु- ‘bad’)

• सर्वकार्यविनाशनम्: destroyer of all undertakings
• सर्वकार्यविनाशनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-कार्य-विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां कार्याणां विनाशनम्) विशेषणम् (कुज्ञानस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Parvati Khanda dialogue context to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

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 emphasizes that spiritual success in Śaiva dharma requires right understanding (samyag-jñāna) and the abandonment of stubborn, distorted attitudes and false notions that obstruct dharma, bhakti, and liberation.

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

By urging the rejection of wrong knowledge and the turning toward Śiva, it aligns with Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—approaching Śiva (often through Liṅga worship) with correct faith, humility, and clear understanding rather than egoic obstinacy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is inner correction: cultivate right view and surrender while practicing Śiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and maintaining Śiva-centered discipline, so that spiritual efforts are not “destroyed” by wrong understanding.