Shloka 21

नन्दाव्रत-समाप्तिः तथा शङ्करस्य प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शनम्

Completion of the Nandā-vrata and Śiva’s Direct Appearance

Devanagari script

अथ सा तमुवाचेदं हरं दाक्षायणी मुहुः । सुप्रसन्ना करौ बद्ध्वा नतका भक्तवत्सलम्

Transliteration

atha sā tamuvācedaṃ haraṃ dākṣāyaṇī muhuḥ | suprasannā karau baddhvā natakā bhaktavatsalam

Translation

Then Dakṣa’s daughter Dakṣāyaṇī (Satī), greatly pleased, spoke these words to Hara again and again. With hands joined in reverence and bowing down, she addressed the Lord who is ever affectionate to his devotees.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• idam: this (speech/words)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• haram: Hara (Śiva)
• haram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• dākṣāyaṇī: Dākṣāyaṇī (daughter of Dakṣa)
• dākṣāyaṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dākṣāyaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• muhuḥ: again and again
• muhuḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनःपुनरर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (repeatedly)

• su-prasannā: very pleased
• su-prasannā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + prasanna (कृदन्त; √sad/√sīd with pra)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• karau: (his) two hands
• karau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (dual)

• baddhvā: having clasped (together)
• baddhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having bound/joined)

• natakā: bowed down
• natakā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nataka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); अर्थे—नता (bowed)

• bhakta-vatsalam: affectionate to devotees
• bhakta-vatsalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (bhakteṣu vatsalaḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Satī’s actions and address to Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ideal of approaching Pati (Śiva) through bhakti—humility, repeated remembrance, and reverent surrender—showing that the Lord responds to sincere devotion as Bhaktavatsala.

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

Satī’s folded hands and bowing embody the devotional posture used in Saguna worship—such as standing before the Śiva-liṅga with namaskāra and prayer—affirming that personal, loving address to Śiva is central to Purāṇic practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice namaskāra with añjali (joined palms) and repeat heartfelt prayer or japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with a steady, reverential mind.