Shloka 2

मयस्य शिवस्तुतिः — Maya’s Hymn to Śiva

and Śiva’s Gracious Response

Devanagari script

प्रणनाम हरं प्रीत्या सुरानन्यानपि ध्रुवम् । कृतांजलिर्नतस्कंधः प्रणनाम पुन श्शिवम्

Transliteration

praṇanāma haraṃ prītyā surānanyānapi dhruvam | kṛtāṃjalirnataskaṃdhaḥ praṇanāma puna śśivam

Translation

With loving devotion he bowed to Hara (Śiva), and surely he also bowed to the other gods. With palms joined in añjali and shoulders bent in humility, he again prostrated before Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• praṇanāma: (he) bowed down
• praṇanāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• haraṃ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd case), एकवचन (singular)

• prītyā: with affection
• prītyā: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd case), एकवचन (singular)

• surān: the gods
• surān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• anyān: other
• anyān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) to 'surān'

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (used adverbially), निश्चयार्थक (certainly)

• kṛta-añjaliḥ: with hands joined (having made añjali)
• kṛta-añjaliḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कृताञ्जलिः = कृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य (अञ्जलिं कृतवान्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied subject)

• nata-skandhaḥ: with bowed shoulders/neck
• nata-skandhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nata (नम्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त) + skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: नतस्कन्धः = नतः स्कन्धः यस्य/नतौ स्कन्धौ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• praṇanāma: (he) bowed again
• praṇanāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models śaraṇāgati (surrender): repeated praṇāma with añjali and humility; suggests that reverence to Śiva and respectful acknowledgement of devas supports harmony and spiritual eligibility.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed through humble prostration: the devotee’s love-filled surrender is directed foremost to Hara (Pati, the Supreme Lord), and this inner reverence becomes the doorway to grace and purification of the soul (paśu) in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

The verse models Saguna upāsanā—approaching Śiva as the personal Lord through visible acts of reverence (añjali and praṇāma). Such embodied devotion is central to Linga-worship in the Purana, where the outer gesture supports inward surrender to Śiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple daily practice is indicated: stand or sit before Śiva (or the Liṅga), join the palms (añjali), bow with humility, and mentally remember Śiva—optionally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” to stabilize devotion.