Shloka 51

संध्याचरित्रवर्णनम् (Sandhyā-caritra-varṇana) — “Account of Sandhyā’s Story”

Devanagari script

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं वद गुह्यं न चेद्भवेत् । वदनं पूर्णचन्द्राभं निश्चेष्टं वा कथं तव

Transliteration

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ vada guhyaṃ na cedbhavet | vadanaṃ pūrṇacandrābhaṃ niśceṣṭaṃ vā kathaṃ tava

Translation

I long to hear this—tell me, if it is not to be kept secret. How has your face, radiant like the full moon, become still, unmoving, and without expression?

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुह्यम्: the secret
• गुह्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• भवेत्: should be / would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आदेश), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वदनम्: face
• वदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (context: subject/object)

• पूर्णचन्द्राभम्: like a full moon
• पूर्णचन्द्राभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्णचन्द्र + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपमान-निर्देशक: ‘पूर्णचन्द्रस्य आभा यस्य/यत्’ (like the full moon)

• निश्चेष्टम्: motionless
• निश्चेष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + चेष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sati (addressing Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a devotee’s reverent inquiry into Shiva’s inward stillness—suggesting that divine “silence” can indicate profound inner absorption (samādhi-like composure) rather than ordinary emotion, inviting the seeker to move from surface appearances to spiritual understanding.

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

Sati addresses Shiva in a personal (saguṇa) relationship, yet the theme points toward Shiva’s transcendence expressed as stillness—akin to Linga-worship where the formless depth (niṣkala) is approached through a visible, worshipful form (sakala).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa (attentive listening) and dhyāna on Shiva’s calm, unmoving awareness—useful in japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while cultivating inner quietude, as emphasized in Shaiva devotional practice.