Shloka 24

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्थं सम्भाष्य सा मेना संस्तूयेन्दुललाटकम् । साञ्जलिः प्रणता शैलप्रिया लज्जापराऽभवत्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | itthaṃ sambhāṣya sā menā saṃstūyendulalāṭakam | sāñjaliḥ praṇatā śailapriyā lajjāparā'bhavat

Translation

Brahmā said: Having spoken thus, Menā praised the Beloved of the Mountain—He whose forehead bears the crescent moon. With palms joined she bowed in reverence, and Śailapriyā (Pārvatī) became exceedingly modest and bashful.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/नॉमिनेटिव), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सम्भाष्य: having spoken/conversed
• सम्भाष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भाष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मेना: Menā
• मेना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संस्तूय: having praised
• संस्तूय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्तु (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• इन्दु-ललाटकम्: the moon-like forehead / the forehead with the moon
• इन्दु-ललाटकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + ललाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/अक्कुसटिव), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्दोः ललाटकम्)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अञ्जलिः: with joined palms
• अञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स-अञ्जलिः’ (हस्ताञ्जलियुक्ता) इति भावः

• प्रणता: bowed down
• प्रणता: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शैल-प्रिया: the beloved of the mountain (Pārvatī)
• शैल-प्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शैलस्य प्रिया)

• लज्जा-पराः: very bashful
• लज्जा-पराः: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (लज्जायां परा = very bashful)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: indulalāṭaka (epithet of Śiva)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva
• Parvati
• Mena

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed through praise and namaskāra to Saguna Śiva (the Moon-crested Lord), and shows the inner transformation it evokes—humility and modest purity in Pārvatī, a sign of ripening devotion and grace.

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

The epithet “moon on the forehead” points to Saguna Śiva—worshipped through names, forms, and symbols (including the Liṅga). Praise (stuti) and folded-hands reverence are classic modes of approaching the Liṅga as the compassionate, accessible manifestation of Pati (Lord) for the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is stuti with añjali (folded hands) and praṇāma before a Śiva-liṅga, contemplating Candraśekhara (the Moon-crested Śiva) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to cultivate humility and devotional steadiness.