Shloka 1

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । एतस्मिन्समये विप्रा नारदो मुनिसत्तमः । ब्रह्मपुत्रो विनीतात्मा तपोर्थं मन आदधे

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | etasminsamaye viprā nārado munisattamaḥ | brahmaputro vinītātmā taporthaṃ mana ādadhe

Translation

Sūta said: At that time, O brāhmaṇas, Nārada—the best of sages—Brahmā’s son, humble and self-controlled, set his mind upon undertaking tapas (austerity) for spiritual attainment.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case, locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समये: time, occasion
• समये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: सम्बोधन/श्रोता (addressed audience)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुनि-सत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तमः: सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेष्य (title)

• ब्रह्म-पुत्रः: son of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-पुत्रः: सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विनीत-आत्मा: one whose mind/self is disciplined
• विनीत-आत्मा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नी धातोः क्त, वि-उपसर्ग) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य आत्मा विनीतः सः'

• तपः-अर्थम्: for the sake of austerity
• तपः-अर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; द्वितीया-समासान्त; प्रयोजनार्थे (in the sense of purpose)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• आदधे: set/placed (his mind), applied
• आदधे: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents Nārada as an ideal seeker: humility, self-control, and focused tapas are shown as the inner preparation by which the soul (paśu) becomes fit to receive Śiva’s grace (Pati), loosening bondage (pāśa).

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

Though the Liṅga is not named here, the narrative sets the stage for devotion expressed through disciplined practice; in the Shiva Purana, such tapas commonly culminates in the Lord’s saguna revelation and the establishment of right worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadiness of mind for tapas—regular japa (especially Śiva-mantra), meditation, and austere living; these are the foundational disciplines that later support Liṅga-pūjā, bhasma-dhāraṇa, and Rudrākṣa-based devotion when taught in context.