Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तदानीन्दिव्यनार्यश्च षोडशारं समाययुः । तौ दम्पती च संद्रष्टुं महादरपुरस्सरम्

Transliteration

tadānīndivyanāryaśca ṣoḍaśāraṃ samāyayuḥ | tau dampatī ca saṃdraṣṭuṃ mahādarapurassaram

Translation

Then, at that very moment, the celestial women gathered in the sixteenfold circle and, with eager hearts, went forth to behold the divine couple—Śiva and Pārvatī—leading the grand procession.

Word by Word

• tadānīm: then/at that time
• tadānīm: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time) — temporal indeclinable

• divya-nāryaḥ: divine women
• divya-nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास — Feminine, Nom, Plural; ‘divine women’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ṣoḍaśa-āram: the sixteen-spoked (one) / sixteen spokes
• ṣoḍaśa-āram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + āra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास — Neuter, Acc, Singular; dvigu compound

• sam-āyayuḥ: came/arrived together
• sam-āyayuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम — Perfect, 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• tau: those two (the couple)
• tau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम — Masculine, Acc/Nom, Dual; pronoun

• dampatī: the husband and wife (couple)
• dampatī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dampatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Masculine, Nom, Dual

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃ-draṣṭum: to see
• saṃ-draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-dṛś (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) — infinitive of purpose

• mahā-dara-puras-saram: with great modesty in front / going ahead with great reverence
• mahā-dara-puras-saram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dara (प्रातिपदिक) + puras (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + sara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पुरःसर = अग्रगामी) — Neuter, Acc, Singular; tatpuruṣa compound

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed as darśana-seeking: even celestial beings gather with reverent eagerness to behold Śiva and Pārvatī, affirming the sanctity of the divine couple and the grace gained through their darśana.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna worship—Śiva as personally present with Pārvatī and approachable through devotion and darśana—supporting the Purāṇic path where the same Supreme is adored both as the Liṅga and as the manifest Lord in līlā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is darśana-bhakti: approach Śiva with ādarā (reverent intent), worship with mantra (e.g., “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and cultivate a focused mind as if joining the sacred assembly to behold the Lord.