Shloka 16

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

अस्य गोत्रं कुलं नाम नैव जानन्ति पर्वत । विष्णुब्रह्मादयोऽपीह परेषां का कथा स्मृता

Transliteration

asya gotraṃ kulaṃ nāma naiva jānanti parvata | viṣṇubrahmādayo'pīha pareṣāṃ kā kathā smṛtā

Translation

O Mountain (Himālaya), no one truly knows His lineage, family, or even His name. Even Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and the other gods do not know this here—what then can be said of anyone else?

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this (one)
• अस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गोत्रम्: lineage/clan
• गोत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुलम्: family
• कुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पर्वत: O mountain (Himālaya)
• पर्वत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• विष्णुब्रह्मादयः: Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others
• विष्णुब्रह्मादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + ब्रह्मन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः = विष्णुश्च ब्रह्मा च तदादयश्च इति समूहः)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (here)

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• का: what (then)?
• का: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कथा: talk, mention
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मृता: is mentioned/remembered
• स्मृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is spoken/remembered)

Speaker

Parvatī (in dialogue addressing Himālaya, within the Rudra Saṃhitā narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It emphasizes Shiva-tattva as beginningless and incomparable: the Supreme Pati is not confined to worldly identifiers like family, clan, or social origin, pointing seekers toward devotion to the transcendent Lord rather than external categories.

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

The Liṅga signifies the formless, limitless reality of Shiva beyond name and genealogy; yet devotees approach that same reality through saguna worship—mantra, pūjā, and bhakti—without reducing Him to human-like identity markers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as beyond attributes while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering simple Liṅga-pūjā with bhakti, cultivating inner surrender rather than fixation on external labels.