Shloka 18

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

अहं विष्णुश्च सस्त्रीकौ संजातौ कार्यहेतुतः । लोककार्यकरौ प्रीत्या तव शासनतः प्रभो

Transliteration

ahaṃ viṣṇuśca sastrīkau saṃjātau kāryahetutaḥ | lokakāryakarau prītyā tava śāsanataḥ prabho

Translation

O Lord, Viṣṇu and I have manifested—together with our consorts—for the sake of fulfilling Your divine purpose. Joyfully we carry out the works of the worlds in obedience to Your command, O Master.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग-अनपेक्ष (gender-neutral pronoun)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स-स्त्रीकौ: together with (their) wives (dual)
• स-स्त्रीकौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ-पूर्वपद)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (Avyayībhāva): स + स्त्रीक (with wife); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन (dual)

• संजातौ: were born / came into being (dual)
• संजातौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √जन् (धातु) → संजात (कृदन्त-भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कर्तरि कृदन्त (past participle, Kta); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• कार्य-हेतुतः: for the sake/cause of the task
• कार्य-हेतुतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): कार्यस्य हेतुः; तस्मात्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’ = “because of/from”

• लोक-कार्य-करौ: doers of the world’s work (dual)
• लोक-कार्य-करौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: लोकस्य कार्यं करोति इति; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of अहं+विष्णुः)

• प्रीत्या: with affection / gladly
• प्रीत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शासनतः: by/according to (your) command
• शासनतः: Nimitta (निमित्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; “from/according to the command”

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse affirms Shiva’s supremacy as Pati (the Lord) whose śāsana (divine ordinance) empowers even Brahma and Vishnu; cosmic functions occur as service to Shiva’s will, pointing the seeker toward surrender (śaraṇāgati) to the supreme Lord.

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

It supports Saguna Shiva worship by presenting Shiva as the personal Lord who commands and directs creation and preservation; Linga worship honors this sovereign presence—Shiva as the grounding reality behind all divine roles and powers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice devotionally aligning one’s actions with Shiva’s śāsana through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering daily worship (pūjā/abhisheka) to the Shiva Linga as a discipline of obedient, joyful service.