Shloka 23

स्वप्नवर्णनपूर्वकं संक्षेपशिवचरितवर्णनम् / Dream-Portents and a Concise Account of Śiva’s Career

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वा स्वसुतां तत्रागमं प्रीततरोप्यहम् । मया ज्ञातस्स वै शम्भुर्नारदो क्तवरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

gṛhītvā svasutāṃ tatrāgamaṃ prītataropyaham | mayā jñātassa vai śambhurnārado ktavaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

Taking my own daughter from there, I returned, filled with still greater joy. Then I understood that Lord Śambhu is indeed the Supreme Master, for Nārada had spoken the truth.

Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: ग्रह्; अर्थ: ‘having taken’

• स्व: own
• स्व: विशेषण (of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्राय विशेषण (indeclinable-like adjective) ‘own’; here qualifying ‘सुताम्’

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अगमम्: (I) went
• अगमम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘I went’ (contextually 1st person implied by अहम्)

• प्रीततरः: more pleased
• प्रीततरः: कर्तृविशेषण (predicate adjective of अहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीततर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ज्ञातः: was known/recognized
• ज्ञातः: क्रियाविशेष्य/विधेय (predicate in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘known/recognized’

• सः: he/that
• सः: कर्ता/विषय (subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: विषय/सम्बन्ध (apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिवनाम

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: सम्बोधन/विषय (apposition; speaker/agent implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृतवरः: boon-granting/boon-bestowed
• कृतवरः: विशेषण (of प्रभुः/शम्भुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कृतः वरः यस्य/कृतं वरं येन इति भावः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one who has made/obtained a boon’

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: विषय (apposition to शम्भुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Himavat (Himālaya), narrating within Suta Goswami’s discourse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Narada

FAQs

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

It highlights recognition (jñāna) arising from lived experience: Himavat realizes Śambhu as the Supreme Lord, affirming that true joy and auspiciousness culminate in surrender to Pati (Śiva), the liberator of bound souls (paśu) from bondage (pāśa).

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

By naming Śambhu as Prabhu, the verse supports Saguna devotion—approaching Shiva as the personal Lord who grants grace. In Purāṇic practice, this devotion is commonly expressed through Liṅga worship as the accessible, worshipful form of the transcendent Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is śraddhā in the words of realized devotees like Nārada—expressed through daily Śiva-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and remembrance of Śambhu as the Supreme Lord.