Shloka 54

नन्दाव्रत-समाप्तिः तथा शङ्करस्य प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शनम्

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

Devanagari script

मां दृष्ट्वा पितरं दक्षः प्रणम्यावनतः स्थितः । आसनं च ददौ मह्यं स्वभवाय यथोचितम्

Transliteration

māṃ dṛṣṭvā pitaraṃ dakṣaḥ praṇamyāvanataḥ sthitaḥ | āsanaṃ ca dadau mahyaṃ svabhavāya yathocitam

Translation

Seeing me, Dakṣa bowed to his father and stood with humility. Then, as was proper to his station and household, he offered me a seat befitting the occasion.

Word by Word

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd); सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• अवनतः: bent down, humble
• अवनतः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (दक्षः)

• स्थितः: stood/remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (अवस्था/स्थिति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त from स्था)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (as adjectival predicate)

• आसनम्: a seat
• आसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी); सर्वनाम

• स्वभवाय: for his own welfare/being
• स्वभवाय: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/beneficiary-purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभव (प्रातिपदिक: स्व + भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भवः)

• यथोचितम्: as appropriate
• यथोचितम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial)

Speaker

Sati (as narrated within Suta Goswami’s discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights dhārmic conduct—humility, honoring elders, and proper hospitality—which Shaiva tradition treats as an outer expression of inner purity that supports devotion and right relationship with Pati (Shiva).

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

Though not directly about Liṅga worship, it sets the ethical ground (ācāra) for worship: reverence and proper honoring. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such disciplined conduct steadies the mind for Saguna Shiva devotion and later Liṅga-centered ritual life.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to begin worship with respectful salutations (namaskāra) and proper upacāras (like offering a seat), then proceed to mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with a humble, service-oriented attitude.