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Shloka 10

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्यपृच्छत्स्म सद्भक्त्या शंकरं सा सती मुने । आदिशक्तिर्महेशानी जीवोद्धाराय केवलम्

brahmovāca | ityapṛcchatsma sadbhaktyā śaṃkaraṃ sā satī mune | ādiśaktirmaheśānī jīvoddhārāya kevalam

Brahmā said: Thus, O sage, Satī—She who is the Primordial Power, the great Queen of Maheśa—questioned Śaṅkara with true devotion, solely for the upliftment and liberation of embodied souls.

brahmāBrahmā
brahmā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (वच् धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
itithus
iti:
Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (इति अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (उद्धरण-अव्यय)
apṛcchatasked
apṛcchat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprach (प्रच्छ् धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
smaindeed/then (narrative particle)
sma:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsma (स्म अव्यय)
FormParticle indicating past narration/emphasis (स्म-निपात)
sat-bhaktyāwith true devotion
sat-bhaktyā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsat + bhakti (सत् + भक्ति प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: sat (good/true) qualifying bhakti
śaṃkaramŚaṅkara
śaṃkaram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśaṃkara (शंकर प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
she
:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
satīSatī
satī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsatī (सती प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper name/appellation
muneO sage
mune:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootmuni (मुनि प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
ādi-śaktiḥthe primordial Power
ādi-śaktiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootādi + śakti (आदि + शक्ति प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘primeval’ + ‘power’
maheśānīMaheśānī (consort of Maheśa)
maheśānī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaheśa + ānī (महेश + आनी/ई प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: maheśasya ānī (consort of Maheśa)
jīva-uddhārāyafor the uplift/deliverance of beings
jīva-uddhārāya:
Sampradāna/Purpose (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootjīva + uddhāra (जीव + उद्धार प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); purpose dative; तत्पुरुष: ‘deliverance of beings’
kevalamonly, solely
kevalam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkevala (केवल प्रातिपदिक)
FormAdverbial use (क्रियाविशेषणवत्), ‘only/solely’

Brahma

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

B
Brahma
S
Shiva
S
Sati
M
Maheshani

FAQs

It frames Satī’s inquiry as compassionate, scripture-bearing devotion: divine dialogue is presented as a means for jīvas to be uplifted toward liberation under Śiva (Pati), aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on grace and right understanding.

By showing Satī approaching Śaṅkara with sad-bhakti, it models how devotees approach Saguna Śiva (often through Liṅga worship) to receive teachings that purify bonds (pāśa) and guide the soul toward Śiva’s grace.

The implied practice is devoted inquiry and listening (śravaṇa) grounded in bhakti—supported in Shaiva practice by japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and regular Liṅga-pūjā as a means of jīva-uddhāra.