Shloka 26

दुर्गोपवीत-रचना तथा शिवामलङ्कारोत्सवः | The Making of the Durgopavīta and Pārvatī’s Auspicious Adornment Festival

Devanagari script

शिवोऽपि मुमुदेऽतीव कालीप्रापणलालसः । गुप्तं चकार तच्चिह्नं मनस्येवाद्भुताकृतिः

Transliteration

śivo'pi mumude'tīva kālīprāpaṇalālasaḥ | guptaṃ cakāra taccihnaṃ manasyevādbhutākṛtiḥ

Translation

Śiva too rejoiced exceedingly, eager to attain Kāli; and that wondrous-formed Lord concealed that sign in secret, as though within His own mind.

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• मुमुदे: rejoiced
• मुमुदे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mud (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ/लिट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• काली-प्रापण-लालसः: eager to obtain Kālī
• काली-प्रापण-लालसः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक) + prāpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + lālasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa chain: ‘kālī-prāpaṇa’ (obtaining Kālī) + lālasa (eager)

• गुप्तम्: hidden, secret
• गुप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gupta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with ‘cakāra’

• चकार: made/did
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ/लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); determiner for ‘cihnam’

• चिह्नम्: mark, sign
• चिह्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cihna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मनसि: in (his) mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamāna-bhāva (उपमार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle of comparison (उपमार्थक)

• अद्भुत-आकृतिः: (he) of wondrous form / wondrous appearance
• अद्भुत-आकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya ‘wonderful form/appearance’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kali

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s inner, sovereign will: even when the Divine longs for union with Śakti (Kālī), He may conceal outward signs, teaching that the highest movements of grace often occur inwardly—beyond display—guiding the soul (paśu) toward Pati through subtle, interior transformation.

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

The verse portrays Saguna Śiva engaged in līlā with Śakti, yet acting from an inward center. In Liṅga worship, devotees honor the visible emblem while cultivating the hidden intent—steady remembrance and surrender—so outer pūjā mirrors the inner union of Śiva-Śakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is inward japa and mental worship (mānasa-pūjā): repeat the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with focused intention, keeping devotion ‘hidden in the mind’—steady, quiet, and undistracted—while offering simple ārādhana such as bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and water to the Liṅga.