Shloka 55

Devanagari script

प्रत्यग्द्रष्ट्रैऽविकाराय परमैश्वर्य धारिणे । यं भजन्ति चतुर्वर्गे कामयंतीष्टसद्गतिम् । सोऽभूदकरुणस्त्वं नः प्रसन्नो भव ते नमः

Transliteration

pratyagdraṣṭrai'vikārāya paramaiśvarya dhāriṇe | yaṃ bhajanti caturvarge kāmayaṃtīṣṭasadgatim | so'bhūdakaruṇastvaṃ naḥ prasanno bhava te namaḥ

Translation

Salutations to You—the inward Witness, changeless, and bearer of the supreme Lordship. Those who seek the four human aims worship You, desiring their chosen noble destiny. Yet for us You have appeared without compassion; be gracious—be pleased with us, obeisance to You.

Word by Word

• pratyak-draṣṭre: to the inward seer
• pratyak-draṣṭre: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyak (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + √dṛś (धातु) → draṣṭṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: draṣṭṛ = तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक (agent noun ‘seer’); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन

• avikārāya: to the changeless one
• avikārāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण (unchanging)

• parama-aiśvarya-dhāriṇe: to the bearer of supreme lordship
• parama-aiśvarya-dhāriṇe: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक) + √dhṛ (धातु) → dhārin (कृदन्त)
• Form: dhārin = णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक (bearer); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन

• yam: whom
• yam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• bhajanti: worship/serve
• bhajanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• catur-varge: in the fourfold aims (of life)
• catur-varge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• kāmayanti: desire
• kāmayanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• iṣṭa-sad-gatim: the desired true goal/state
• iṣṭa-sad-gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• akaruṇaḥ: without compassion
• akaruṇaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-karuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्यय (negation)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) बहुवचन-रूप (enclitic ‘our/of us’)

• prasannaḥ: pleased
• prasannaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (pleased/serene)

• bhava: be (become)
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative) एकवचन (enclitic ‘to you’)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थ-निपात

Speaker

Satī (addressing Lord Śiva in prayer/appeal within the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models a bhakta’s bold śaraṇāgati: even while acknowledging Śiva as witness and supreme lordship, the devotee petitions for prasāda (grace). This is paradigmatic for vrata-prayers at Śiva temples.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: प्रत्यग्द्रष्ट्रैऽविकाराय परमैश्वर्य धारिणे । यं भजन्ति चतुर्वर्गे कामयंतीष्टसद्गतिम् । सोऽभूदकरुणस्त्वं नः प्रसन्नो भव ते नमः

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse praises Śiva as the inner Witness and unchanging Supreme Lord, then turns into a direct plea for anugraha (grace). In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, it highlights Pati (Śiva) as the transcendent ruler who alone can bestow the highest gati—especially mokṣa—beyond merely worldly attainments.

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

Though Śiva is invoked as the formless inner Witness (nirguṇa, pratyagdraṣṭā), the devotee addresses Him personally—showing the bridge between nirguṇa truth and saguna devotion. Linga-worship similarly embodies this: the Linga signifies the transcendent Śiva while receiving personal bhakti, prayers, and surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is inner-witness meditation (turning attention to the pratyag-ātman) combined with devotional surrender: repeating a Śiva-mantra such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and offering a heartfelt prayer for prasāda (Śiva’s gracious favor), rather than seeking only artha or kāma.