Shloka 32

मेनावरलाभवर्णनम् — Description of Menā’s Attainment of Boons

and the worship leading to Umā’s advent

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा महेशान्याः पीयूषसदृशं वचः । उवाच परितुष्टा सा मेनका गिरिकामिनी

Transliteration

iti śrutvā maheśānyāḥ pīyūṣasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ | uvāca parituṣṭā sā menakā girikāminī

Translation

Hearing these nectar-like words spoken by Maheśānī (Pārvatī), Menakā—the beloved of the mountain-king—became fully pleased and then spoke.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• महेशान्याः: of Maheśānī (Umā)
• महेशान्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पीयूषसदृशम्: nectar-like
• पीयूषसदृशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीयूष + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक); पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (‘nectar-like’)

• वचः: speech; words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परितुष्टा: fully pleased
• परितुष्टा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + तुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘fully satisfied’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• गिरिकामिनी: mountain-loving lady; wife of the mountain (Himālaya)
• गिरिकामिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक); गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘mountain’s beloved’/‘one who loves the mountain’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Menaka
• Himavan

FAQs

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

It highlights the purifying power of divine, sattvic speech: words aligned with devotion to Pati (Śiva) and Śakti (Pārvatī) become “nectar-like,” calming the heart and turning it toward dharma and bhakti.

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

Though the Liṅga is not named here, the verse shows a key Saguna-bhakti principle: hearing (śravaṇa) and receiving the Goddess’s guidance prepares the devotee for right worship—approaching Śiva with reverence, purity, and heartfelt surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa and smaraṇa: regularly listen to Shiva Purana kathā and repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a calm, pleased mind, cultivating sweet, truthful speech as an offering.