Shloka 20

मेनावरलाभवर्णनम् — Description of Menā’s Attainment of Boons

and the worship leading to Umā’s advent

Devanagari script

ततः प्राप्तमहाज्ञाना मेनका कालिकां शिवम् । तुष्टाव वाग्भि रिष्टाभिर्भक्त्या प्रत्यक्षतां गताम्

Transliteration

tataḥ prāptamahājñānā menakā kālikāṃ śivam | tuṣṭāva vāgbhi riṣṭābhirbhaktyā pratyakṣatāṃ gatām

Translation

Then Menakā, having attained great spiritual discernment, praised Kālikā—Śiva’s divine Śakti—who had become manifest before her, with cherished words and heartfelt devotion.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon/then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्’

• प्राप्त-महा-ज्ञाना: having attained great knowledge
• प्राप्त-महा-ज्ञाना: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nominative/1st); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of मेनका)

• मेनका: Menakā
• मेनका: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेनका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nominative/1st); एकवचन

• कालिकाम्: Kālikā
• कालिकाम्: Karma (कर्म; object of praising)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• शिवम्: (who is) Śiva/auspicious (one)
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to कालिकाम्)

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया; main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाग्भिः: with words
• वाग्भिः: Karana (करण; instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd); बहुवचन

• इष्टाभिः: dear/pleasing
• इष्टाभिः: Karana (करण; qualifier of instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of वाग्भिः)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd); एकवचन

• प्रत्यक्षताम्: manifestness/visibility
• प्रत्यक्षताम्: Karma (कर्म; object related to ‘gatām’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यक्षता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• गताम्: who had become/attained
• गताम्: Karma (कर्म; qualifier of object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past active participle used adjectivally); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन; ‘कालिकाम्’ इति कर्मविशेषण (qualifying the object)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Menaka
• Kālīkā
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti as a direct means to divine grace: through devoted praise, the Divine becomes pratyakṣa (directly manifest). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such manifestation reflects the Lord’s (Pati’s) grace responding to sincere devotion and purified understanding.

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

It supports saguna-upāsanā: Menakā offers stuti (praise) to the manifest Divine presence associated with Śiva (and Śiva’s śakti). Just as the Liṅga is a worshipful, accessible form for receiving Śiva’s grace, this verse shows devotion culminating in tangible divine darśan.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is stotra-japa and nāma-smaraṇa with bhakti—daily verbal praise and mantra recitation (including Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) done with inner reverence, aiming for steady concentration and grace-filled clarity.