Shloka 29

व्योमवाणी-श्रवणं, गणानां शरणागमनं, सती-दाह-वृत्तान्तः — Hearing the Heavenly Voice; The Gaṇas Seek Refuge; Account of Satī’s Self-Immolation

Devanagari script

शोषणीयाः किमीशान क्षणार्द्धेनैव सिंधवः । पेषणीयाः किमीशान क्षणार्द्धेनैव पर्वताः

Transliteration

śoṣaṇīyāḥ kimīśāna kṣaṇārddhenaiva siṃdhavaḥ | peṣaṇīyāḥ kimīśāna kṣaṇārddhenaiva parvatāḥ

Translation

O Īśāna (Lord Śiva), what is there that cannot be done? In but half a moment the oceans could be dried up; in but half a moment the mountains could be ground to powder.

Word by Word

• śoṣaṇīyāḥ: to be dried up / should be dried
• śoṣaṇīyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣ (धातु) + anīya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive/भाव्य), anīya-pratyaya; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kim: what? / why?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle)

• īśāna: O Īśāna (Lord)
• īśāna: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṣaṇa-ardhena: by half a moment
• kṣaṇa-ardhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kṣaṇasya ardhaḥ); Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-निपात (emphatic particle)

• siṃdhavaḥ: oceans / seas
• siṃdhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃdhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• peṣaṇīyāḥ: to be ground / should be crushed
• peṣaṇīyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṣ (धातु) + anīya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive/भाव्य), anīya-pratyaya; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kim: what? / why?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle)

• īśāna: O Īśāna (Lord)
• īśāna: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṣaṇa-ardhena: by half a moment
• kṣaṇa-ardhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kṣaṇasya ardhaḥ); Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-निपात (emphatic particle)

• parvatāḥ: mountains
• parvatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the praise addressed to Lord Shiva within the Sati Khanda context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse magnifies Īśāna—Shiva as Pati, the supreme Lord—showing that all cosmic transformations (drying oceans, crushing mountains) are effortless for Him, encouraging surrender (śaraṇāgati) and unwavering bhakti.

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

Such praise supports Saguna-upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva through the Linga as the accessible sign of the limitless Lord whose power governs nature, while remembering that the Linga points beyond to His transcendent supremacy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with contemplation of Shiva as Īśāna (the sovereign of all), optionally accompanied by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva marks of devotion.