Shloka 21

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

लीलाविहारिणा तेन मोहितं च चराचरम् । नो जानाति शिवं कोऽपि प्राज्ञोऽपि गिरिसत्तम

Transliteration

līlāvihāriṇā tena mohitaṃ ca carācaram | no jānāti śivaṃ ko'pi prājño'pi girisattama

Translation

O best of mountains, by Him who sports in divine līlā, all that is moving and unmoving is indeed deluded; therefore no one—even one deemed wise—truly knows Lord Śiva in the fullness of His reality.

Word by Word

• लीलाविहारिणा: by the sportive one
• लीलाविहारिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + विहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः: लीलायां विहारिन् (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• तेन: by him/that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (pronoun)

• मोहितम्: deluded
• मोहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धातुः: मुह्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः ‘deluded’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• चराचरम्: the moving and the unmoving (world)
• चराचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः: चर + अचर (moving and unmoving beings)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातुः: ज्ञा

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कः: who/anyone
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (interrogative/indefinite in context)

• अपि: even/any
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even/also; with कः → कोऽपि ‘anyone’)

• प्राज्ञः: a wise person
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even)

• गिरिसत्तम: O best of mountains
• गिरिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः: गिरिणां सत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the entire cosmos—moving and unmoving—can be veiled by Shiva’s māyā within His līlā, so mere intellectual brilliance cannot grasp Shiva’s supreme nature; humility, grace, and devotion are essential.

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

Since Shiva’s full reality is beyond ordinary knowing, the Purana points devotees to accessible Saguna supports like Śiva-liṅga worship, through which the mind is purified and gradually led toward the transcendent (Nirguṇa) truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhakti and inner surrender, supported by Shaiva disciplines such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa to stabilize awareness beyond delusion.