Shloka 22

देवाः वैकुण्ठगमनम् तथा विष्णोः अवतारस्तुतिः | Devas Go to Vaikuṇṭha and Praise Viṣṇu’s Avatāras

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इति दीनवचश्श्रुत्वा देवानां मधुसूदनः । जगाद करुणासिन्धुर्मे घनिर्ह्रादया गिरा

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | iti dīnavacaśśrutvā devānāṃ madhusūdanaḥ | jagāda karuṇāsindhurme ghanirhrādayā girā

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Hearing the gods’ pitiable words, Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)—an ocean of compassion—spoke to me in a deep, thunder-resonant voice.

Word by Word

• सनत्-कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्-कुमारः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (नामधेय)

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

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसूचक (Quotation-marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• दीन-वचः: the pitiable words
• दीन-वचः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ‘दीनं वचः’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having heard’

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• मधु-सूदनः: Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)
• मधु-सूदनः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः) ‘मधुं सूदयति’ → ‘मधुसूदन’

• जगाद: spoke
• जगाद: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• करुणा-सिन्धुः: the ocean of compassion
• करुणा-सिन्धुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक) + सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ‘करुणा एव सिन्धुः’

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) / चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; enclitic; अत्र षष्ठी ‘my’ (गिरा इति सह)

• घन-निर्ह्रादया: with a deep-resounding
• घन-निर्ह्रादया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्ह्राद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ‘घनः निर्ह्रादः यस्याः’ → ‘घननिर्ह्रादा’ (गिरा विशेषणम्)

• गिरा: voice/speech
• गिरा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights the divine quality of karuṇā (compassion): when beings are overwhelmed and surrender their distress, higher guidance arises—here through Viṣṇu—ultimately serving the cosmic order that culminates in Śiva’s supremacy and protection of dharma.

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

Though the verse names Viṣṇu, the Shiva Purana’s theistic frame presents all divine interventions as aligned with Śiva’s will; devotion to Saguna Śiva (as the compassionate Lord) is reinforced by the theme that divine grace responds to sincere supplication.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is heartfelt śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) with prayer; one may support this with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady the mind in संकट (crisis) and invoke Śiva’s grace.