Shloka 47

नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion

Devanagari script

स वैदिकस्य पुण्यात्मा स धन्यस्स बुधो मुने । यस्सदा कायवाक्चित्तैश्शरणं याति शंकरम्

Transliteration

sa vaidikasya puṇyātmā sa dhanyassa budho mune | yassadā kāyavākcittaiśśaraṇaṃ yāti śaṃkaram

Translation

O sage, he alone is truly Vedic in spirit—pure-souled, blessed, and wise—who always takes refuge in Śaṅkara with body, speech, and mind.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वैदिकस्य: of the Vedic (follower)
• वैदिकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; 'of the Vedic (person)'

• पुण्य-आत्मा: a virtuous-souled one
• पुण्य-आत्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject—predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'whose self is pure/meritorious'

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (repetition for emphasis)

• धन्यः: fortunate/blessed
• धन्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject—predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बुधः: wise
• बुधः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject—predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'wise man' (predicate)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण: 'always'

• काय-वाक्-चित्तैः: by body, speech, and mind
• काय-वाक्-चित्तैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'by body, speech, and mind'

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म (object of 'याति')

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal as object)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not site-specific; defines ‘true Vedicness’ as śaraṇāgati to Śaṅkara with kāya-vāk-citta—aligning karma (body), mantra/utterance (speech), and jñāna/bhāva (mind).

Significance: Reframes Vedic identity as surrender to Śiva; encourages integrated practice (ethical action, truthful speech/mantra, contemplative mind) as the path to grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse defines true Vedic life as wholehearted śaraṇāgati (refuge/surrender) to Śiva—aligning body, speech, and mind with devotion—because Śiva as Pati is the ultimate refuge and purifier who grants grace and liberation.

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

Taking refuge in Śaṅkara is commonly enacted through Saguna worship—especially Liṅga-pūjā—where the devotee offers disciplined actions (kāya), sacred recitation and praise (vāk), and steady remembrance (citta), making external worship a vehicle for inner surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice integrated devotion: perform daily Liṅga worship with simple offerings, chant the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and maintain mindful remembrance of Śiva—so that action, speech, and thought become a single act of refuge.