Shloka 48

Devanagari script

बाह्यादायान्तमालोक्य त्वरितान्नजलाशनैः । ताम्बूलैर्वसनैश्चापि पादसम्वाहनादिभिः

Transliteration

bāhyādāyāntamālokya tvaritānnajalāśanaiḥ | tāmbūlairvasanaiścāpi pādasamvāhanādibhiḥ

Translation

Seeing him return from outside, they hastened to serve him—offering food and water, presenting betel, providing garments, and attending to him with foot-massage and other acts of devoted hospitality.

Word by Word

• bāhyāt: from outside
• bāhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुंलिङ्ग as adjective used substantively), पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ablative

• āyāntam: coming (one)
• āyāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + yā (धातु) → āyānta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; present participle used adjectivally

• ālokya: having seen
• ālokya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + lok (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; having seen

• tvarita: quick, prompt
• tvarita: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying anna-jalāśanaiḥ

• anna-jalāśanaiḥ: with food, water, and refreshments
• anna-jalāśanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (अन्नं च जलं च आशनं च)

• tāmbūlaiḥ: with betel (leaf)
• tāmbūlaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmbūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• vasanaiḥ: with garments
• vasanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

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

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

• pāda-samvāhana-ādibhiḥ: with foot-massage and the like
• pāda-samvāhana-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + samvāhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पादस्य सम्वाहनम्) + ādi-समाहार ('etc.')

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Parvati Khanda account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models gṛhastha-śivadharma: service (sevā) and hospitality as a stabilizing dharma that purifies the bound soul and supports devotion.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse elevates simple acts of hospitality into bhakti: serving the Lord (Pati) with humility and attentiveness purifies the pashu (individual soul) and loosens the bonds of pasha through loving, selfless service.

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

It reflects Saguna worship—approaching Shiva as a personally present Lord who is lovingly received and served. The same attitude is applied in Linga-puja through upacharas like offering water, food, and respectful attendance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is upachara-seva: offer water and naivedya with reverence, and cultivate the inner mood of service while repeating the Panchakshara mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as an act of continuous devotion.