Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

अविकारी ह्यभोगी च सदाशुचिरमंगलः । तस्य प्रयोजनं लोके कामिन्या किं वदाधुना

Transliteration

avikārī hyabhogī ca sadāśuciramaṃgalaḥ | tasya prayojanaṃ loke kāminyā kiṃ vadādhunā

Translation

He is changeless and untouched by worldly enjoyment—ever pure and auspicious. What purpose in this world could such a Lord have, that a desire-driven woman should speak of it now?

Word by Word

• avikārī: unchanging, without modification
• avikārī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied subject
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vikārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); nañ-pratyaya (अ- नञ्) with vikārin

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle/emphasis)

• abhogī: non-enjoyer; not given to enjoyment
• abhogī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied subject
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bhogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana; nañ-pratyaya (अ- नञ्) with bhogin

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avya ya (conjunction)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avya ya (adverb of time)

• aśuciḥ: impure (lit. not pure)
• aśuciḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied subject
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana; nañ-pratyaya (अ- नञ्) with śuci

• amaṃgalaḥ: inauspicious (not auspicious)
• amaṃgalaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied subject
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-maṃgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana; nañ-pratyaya (अ- नञ्) with maṃgala

• tasya: of him/its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Śeṣa (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka (Masculine/Neuter), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• prayojanam: purpose, use
• prayojanam: Karma (कर्म) / or Predicate nominal (vidheya) depending on implied verb
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), Ekavacana

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana

• kāminyā: by/with a desirous woman; by a lover
• kāminyā: Karaṇa (करण) / Hetu (cause) (instrumental of agency/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म) (interrogative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), Ekavacana; interrogative

• vada: say, tell
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avya ya (adverb of time)

Speaker

Satī (speaking in the context of the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative, asserting Śiva’s transcendence)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as avikārī (unchanging) and abhogī (beyond sense-enjoyment), teaching that the Supreme Pati is intrinsically pure and auspicious, not driven by worldly motives—guiding the devotee toward vairāgya and liberation-focused devotion.

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

Liṅga-worship points to Śiva’s transcendence: though devotees approach him through saguna forms and rituals, the verse reminds that his true nature is ever-pure and beyond desire, so worship should be offered without projecting human cravings onto the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as ‘śuci’ and ‘maṅgala’ while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cultivating detachment from kāma; offer simple, sattvic Liṅga-pūjā (water/flowers) with a mind free from possessive desire.