Shloka 18

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

अहो रूपमहो प्रेम सौभाग्यं श्रीरहो भृशम् । इत्यवादीदसौ पुत्रो मुहुर्मुहुरतीव हि

Transliteration

aho rūpamaho prema saubhāgyaṃ śrīraho bhṛśam | ityavādīdasau putro muhurmuhuratīva hi

Translation

“Ah, what beauty! Ah, what love! How great the good fortune—how abundant the splendor!” Thus that son spoke again and again, repeatedly, in overwhelming wonder.

Word by Word

• अहो: ah!, oh!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयार्थक-निपात (interjection/particle of exclamation)

• रूपम्: form, beauty
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom/Acc sg)

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयार्थक-निपात (interjection)

• प्रेम: love, affection
• प्रेम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन्/प्रेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom/Acc sg)

• सौभाग्यम्: good fortune, auspiciousness
• सौभाग्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom/Acc sg)

• श्रीः: splendour, prosperity
• श्रीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Feminine; Nom sg)

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयार्थक-निपात (interjection)

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• भृशम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• अवादीत्: said, spoke
• अवादीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन (3rd sg)

• असौ: that (person), he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Pronoun; Masc; Nom sg)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masc; Nom sg)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

• अतीव: very, exceedingly
• अतीव: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रतासूचक-क्रियाविशेषण (intensifying adverb)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode; the quoted exclamations are uttered by the son within the story)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: aho rūpam aho prema saubhāgyaṃ śrīr aho bhṛśam

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays spontaneous bhakti arising as astonishment (vismaya) and loving praise when one encounters auspicious divine presence. In a Shaiva Siddhanta sense, such repeated glorification signals Shiva’s anugraha (grace) awakening devotion and inner purification.

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

The exclamations focus on “rūpa” (form/beauty), pointing to saguṇa upāsanā—devotion to Shiva’s manifest, auspicious aspect. In Linga worship, the same reverence is expressed as wonder at Shiva’s presence and śrī (auspicious grace) experienced through darśana and pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is repeated praise and remembrance: chant Shiva’s names or the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with heartfelt wonder, and offer simple worship (water, bilva leaves) while cultivating prema and gratitude for Shiva’s grace.