Shloka 10

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

इतः प्रभृति भो दक्ष मत्वा मां परमेश्वरम् । बुद्ध्या ज्ञानपरो भूत्वा कुरु कर्म समाहितः

Transliteration

itaḥ prabhṛti bho dakṣa matvā māṃ parameśvaram | buddhyā jñānaparo bhūtvā kuru karma samāhitaḥ

Translation

From this time onward, O Daksha, know Me as Parameśvara, the Supreme Lord. Through discernment, be devoted to true knowledge, and perform your duties with a collected and steady mind.

Word by Word

• itaḥ: from now/onwards
• itaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देश/कालवाचक (from here/thereafter)

• prabhṛti: from (this point)
• prabhṛti: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prabhṛti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), आरम्भार्थक (since, starting from)

• bho: O!
• bho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• dakṣa: O Dakṣa
• dakṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• matvā: having known/considered
• matvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (मन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having considered/knowing)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (paramaḥ īśvaraḥ)

• buddhyā: with (your) intellect
• buddhyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• jñāna-paraḥ: devoted to knowledge
• jñāna-paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (jñāne paraḥ = devoted to knowledge)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having become)

• kuru: do
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• karma: action/duty
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• samāhitaḥ: composed, concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (सम्+आ+धा धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Shiva as Parameśvara (Pati) and teaches that right action becomes liberating when guided by purified intellect and oriented toward spiritual knowledge—karma refined by jñāna and inner steadiness.

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

By asking Daksha to ‘know Me as Parameśvara,’ the verse points to Saguna worship—revering Shiva as the personal Lord worthy of rites and devotion (including Linga worship)—while grounding that worship in discernment and knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies performing prescribed Shiva-oriented duties with samāhita (one-pointed) mind—such as steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and mindful ritual action—so that practice is guided by buddhi and jñāna.