Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

स्थित्वा सविनयम्प्राह स्वनाथं गिरिकामिनी । तत्र शैलाधिनाथं सा प्राणप्रियसुता सती

Transliteration

sthitvā savinayamprāha svanāthaṃ girikāminī | tatra śailādhināthaṃ sā prāṇapriyasutā satī

Translation

Standing there with humility, the mountain-born lady spoke to her own Lord. There, Satī—the beloved daughter, dear as life—addressed the sovereign of the mountains.

Word by Word

• स्थित्वा: having stood / having remained
• स्थित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• स-विनयम्: with humility
• स-विनयम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial), अर्थः: विनयेन सह

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• स्व-नाथम्: her own lord (husband)
• स्व-नाथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (स्वः नाथः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गिरि-कामिनी: the mountain-lady (Menā)
• गिरि-कामिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: गिरेः कामिनी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• शैल-अधिनाथम्: the lord of the mountain
• शैल-अधिनाथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शैलस्य अधिनाथः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• प्राण-प्रिय-सुता: the beloved daughter (dear as life)
• प्राण-प्रिय-सुता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्राणाः प्रियाः यस्याः सा/प्राणप्रियः; तस्य सुता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सती: Sati (the virtuous one)
• सती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (नाम/विशेषणरूपेण)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode of Satī/Pārvatī)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Sati
• Himalaya
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights vinaya (humility) as a core bhakti quality: the devotee approaches Śiva (Pati) with reverence, which in Shaiva Siddhanta supports grace (anugraha) and inner purification.

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

By portraying Satī addressing her Lord directly, the text emphasizes personal devotion to Saguna Śiva; such reverent approach is the same inner attitude carried into Liṅga worship—seeing the Liṅga as Śiva’s compassionate, accessible form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt vinaya before worship: begin pūjā with respectful salutations and japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), maintaining a surrendered, gentle mind as the primary discipline.