Shloka 26

Devanagari script

हृदाकाशेन संपश्यञ् जन्मकर्माणि वै मम । प्रीत्याचोच्चारणं तेषामेतत्कीर्तनमुच्यते

Transliteration

hṛdākāśena saṃpaśyañ janmakarmāṇi vai mama | prītyācoccāraṇaṃ teṣāmetatkīrtanamucyate

Translation

Beholding, through the inner sky of the heart, My births and divine deeds, and then joyfully uttering them with love—this is what is called kīrtana, devotional glorification.

Word by Word

• hṛt-ākāśena: by the heart-space (inner awareness)
• hṛt-ākāśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (‘space of the heart’)

• saṃpaśyan: seeing clearly; beholding
• saṃpaśyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-√paś (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• janma-karmāṇi: births and actions
• janma-karmāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (‘birth and deeds’)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphasis (निपात)

• mama: of me; my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; pronoun

• prītyā: with love; joyfully
• prītyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; manner (भाव)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• uccāraṇam: utterance/recitation
• uccāraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uccāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• teṣām: of those (births and deeds)
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; pronoun

• etat-kīrtanam: this is kīrtana (praising/chanting)
• etat-kīrtanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kīrtana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (‘this’ + ‘praise/recitation’)

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada; passive sense (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames kīrtana as loving vocalization of Śiva’s līlā and deeds, a direct means to soften āṇava-mala and invite grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines true kīrtana as a union of inner contemplation and outward devotion: first realizing Śiva’s presence and līlā within the heart (hṛdākāśa), then expressing that realization through loving praise—purifying the soul (paśu) and drawing it toward Pati, Śiva.

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

The Liṅga and saguna forms support remembrance; this verse emphasizes that worship becomes complete when the devotee inwardly contemplates Śiva’s divine acts and then glorifies them—turning external ritual into living bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice heart-centered dhyāna (hṛdākāśa-bhāvanā) on Śiva’s līlās, followed by loving recitation—such as chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” singing stotras, or narrating Śiva Purāṇa episodes as kīrtana.