Shloka 20

नारद–हिमालयसंवादवर्णनम्

Nārada and Himālaya: Discourse on Pārvatī’s Signs and Destiny

Devanagari script

प्रभौ दोषो न दुःखाय दुःखदोऽत्यप्रभौ हि सः । रविपावकगंगानां तत्र ज्ञेया निदर्शना

Transliteration

prabhau doṣo na duḥkhāya duḥkhado'tyaprabhau hi saḥ | ravipāvakagaṃgānāṃ tatra jñeyā nidarśanā

Translation

A fault found in one who is truly mighty does not bring suffering; but that very fault becomes a giver of suffering in one who is not mighty. In this, the Sun, Fire, and the Gaṅgā are to be understood as the illustrative examples.

Word by Word

• प्रभौ: in/with regard to the Lord (a powerful one)
• प्रभौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• दोषः: fault, defect
• दोषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• दुःखाय: for sorrow, for harm
• दुःखाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थ

• दुःख-दः: sorrow-giving
• दुःख-दः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त; दा धातु, कर्तृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘दुःखं ददाति’

• अति-प्रभौ: in one who is exceedingly powerful
• अति-प्रभौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘अतिप्रभौ’ = अत्यन्तं प्रभौ (in one who is very powerful)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रवि-पावक-गंगानाम्: of the sun, fire, and the Gaṅgā
• रवि-पावक-गंगानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + पावक (प्रातिपदिक) + गंगा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गंगा-प्रधान), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (रविः च पावकः च गंगा च)

• तत्र: there, in that regard
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• ज्ञेया: to be known
• ज्ञेया: Vidhaya (विधेय/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञेय (कृदन्त; ज्ञा धातु, तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण ‘ज्ञातव्या’ (to be known)

• निदर्शना: example, illustration
• निदर्शना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment: in a spiritually mature and steady person, minor defects do not dominate the mind, but in an unsteady person the same defects become binding and painful—hence one should seek inner strength through Shiva-bhakti and discipline.

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

Linga-worship trains purity and steadiness; by taking refuge in Saguna Shiva (the compassionate Lord accessible through mantra and worship), the devotee gains the strength by which impurities lose their power to cause downfall—like purifying forces (sun, fire, Gaṅgā) that transform rather than contaminate.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with disciplined conduct, along with purificatory practices like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and mindful bathing/ablutions, is implied as the way to build the inner ‘prabhāva’ (spiritual potency) that prevents faults from becoming suffering.