Shloka 13

मयस्य शिवस्तुतिः — Maya’s Hymn to Śiva

and Śiva’s Gracious Response

Devanagari script

मय उवाच । देवदेव महादेव प्रसन्नो यदि मे भवान् । वरयोग्योऽस्म्यहं चेद्धि स्वभक्तिं देहि शाश्वतीम्

Transliteration

maya uvāca | devadeva mahādeva prasanno yadi me bhavān | varayogyo'smyahaṃ ceddhi svabhaktiṃ dehi śāśvatīm

Translation

Mayā said: “O God of gods, O Mahādeva—if You are pleased with me, and if I am truly fit to receive a boon, then grant me Your own eternal devotion—unbroken bhakti to You.”

Word by Word

• मयः: Maya (name)
• मयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• देवदेव: O god of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from प्र√सद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) used adjectivally

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• मे: of me / to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

• भवान्: you (honoured)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्द (honorific pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वरयोग्यः: fit for a boon
• वरयोग्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate of अहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वरस्य योग्यः = fit for a boon)

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त/सम्भावनार्थक (if/assuming)

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

• स्वभक्तिम्: (your) own devotion
• स्वभक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य भक्ति: one's own devotion)

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शाश्वतीम्: eternal
• शाश्वतीम्: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्वभक्तिम्)

Speaker

Mayā (the demon architect)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames the highest ‘vara’ as śāśvatī-bhakti (unbroken devotion), aligning pilgrimage fruit with anugraha rather than mere worldly siddhi.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse elevates bhakti above worldly powers: the highest boon is not dominion or siddhis, but eternal, unwavering devotion to Pati (Śiva), which leads the soul (paśu) toward liberation by His grace.

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

Requesting “svabhakti” aligns with Saguna worship—loving, personal devotion to Mahādeva as the accessible Lord. In Shiva Purana practice, such devotion is commonly expressed through Linga-pūjā, mantra-japa, and offerings done with single-minded reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to seek steadfast bhakti through daily Shiva-upāsanā—especially Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular Linga worship—performed with humility as a prayer for enduring devotion rather than mere material boons.