Shloka 32

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

आगत्य स्वगिरिं शंभुस्सस्मार स्वप्रियां सतीम् । गणेभ्यः कथयामास प्रधानेभ्यश्च तत्कथाम्

Transliteration

āgatya svagiriṃ śaṃbhussasmāra svapriyāṃ satīm | gaṇebhyaḥ kathayāmāsa pradhānebhyaśca tatkathām

Translation

Having returned to His own mountain abode, Śambhu remembered His beloved Satī. Then He related that very account to His gaṇas—especially to their foremost leaders.

Word by Word

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), “having come”

• स्वगिरिम्: his own mountain
• स्वगिरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य गिरिः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शम्भुः: Śambhu
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सस्मार: remembered
• सस्मार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्वप्रियाम्: his beloved
• स्वप्रियाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य प्रिया), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सतीम्: Satī
• सतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (proper noun)

• गणेभ्यः: to the gaṇas
• गणेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to the gaṇas)

• कथयामास: told/narrated
• कथयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (periphrastic perfect/आम-प्रयोग), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रधानेभ्यः: to the leaders
• प्रधानेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to the chiefs)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• तत्कथाम्: that story
• तत्कथाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्य कथा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva’s līlā: the Lord ‘remembers’ Satī to enact the forthcoming cosmic pedagogy (bondage and release) for beings.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s compassionate, personal (saguṇa) dimension: even the Supreme Lord expresses sacred remembrance of Satī, showing that pure love and recollection of the Divine (and the Divine’s līlā) sanctify the mind and guide devotees toward steadiness in bhakti.

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

Śambhu’s remembering and narrating Satī’s account emphasizes saguṇa worship—approaching Śiva through His divine qualities, relationships, and līlās. Such remembrance supports devotion that ultimately matures into deeper realization of Śiva’s supreme nature, often centered in Purāṇic practice around the Śiva-liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is smaraṇa (devotional remembrance) and śravaṇa (hearing sacred कथा): regularly recite or listen to Śiva–Satī narratives while chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating focused devotion.