Shloka 29

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

तया संमोहितोतीव नारदो मुनिसत्तमः । कैलासं प्रययौ शीघ्रं स्ववृत्तं गदितुं मदी

Transliteration

tayā saṃmohitotīva nārado munisattamaḥ | kailāsaṃ prayayau śīghraṃ svavṛttaṃ gadituṃ madī

Translation

Thoroughly deluded by her, Nārada—the best of sages—quickly set out for Kailāsa, intent on reporting his own experience to me.

Word by Word

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instrumental: ‘by her/that’)

• संमोहितः: deluded
• संमोहितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘deluded’

• उत्-ईव: as if indeed
• उत्-ईव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् (अव्यय) + इव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-द्वय; ‘उत’ (emphatic/indeed) + ‘इव’ (as if)

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

• मुनिसत्तमः: best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘मुनीनां सत्तमः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कैलासम्: to Kailāsa
• कैलासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; देश/पर्वत-नाम

• प्रययौ: went
• प्रययौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• स्व-वृत्तम्: his own account/occurrence
• स्व-वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स्वस्य वृत्तम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• गदितुम्: to narrate
• गदितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); ‘to tell’

• मदी: proud
• मदी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘मदिन्/मदी’ = intoxicated/proud (context suggests ‘proud’)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Kailāsa is invoked as Śiva’s nitya-dhāma (eternal abode), the archetypal pilgrimage of the mind toward the Lord after māyā-born bewilderment.

Significance: Turning from delusion to seeking Śiva’s clarification; symbolizes the soul’s return to Pati for instruction and grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Kailasa
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows how even a great sage can be overpowered by moha (delusion), and that the corrective response is to turn toward Śiva (Kailāsa) and report truthfully—seeking clarity through the Lord’s grace rather than trusting a confused mind.

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

Kailāsa represents Saguna Śiva—approachable as the compassionate Lord who dispels confusion. In practice, devotion to Śiva through Linga-worship and remembrance is presented as a stabilizing refuge when the intellect is shaken by māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to re-center in Śiva-bhakti: quietly repeat the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and approach Śiva through simple Linga-pūjā with bhasma and water, cultivating honesty and self-review (svavṛtta) rather than self-justification.