Shloka 48

देवशरणागति-नारदप्रेषणम् | The Devas Take Refuge in Śiva; Nārada Is Sent

Devanagari script

यस्या लावण्यजलधौ निमग्नश्चतुराननः । स्वधैर्य्यं मुमुचे पूर्वं तया कान्योपमीयते

Transliteration

yasyā lāvaṇyajaladhau nimagnaścaturānanaḥ | svadhairyyaṃ mumuce pūrvaṃ tayā kānyopamīyate

Translation

She is likened to that maiden in whose ocean of beauty even the four-faced Brahmā, once immersed, formerly let go of his own steadfast composure.

Word by Word

• यस्याः: of whom; whose
• यस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• लावण्य-जलधौ: in the ocean of beauty
• लावण्य-जलधौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लावण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + जलधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('in the ocean of beauty')

• निमग्नः: immersed; sunk
• निमग्नः: विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'चतुराननः' विशेषण

• चतुराननः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ('one who has four faces' = Brahmā)

• स्व-धैर्यम्: his own steadfastness
• स्व-धैर्यम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('his own firmness')

• मुमुचे: released; let go
• मुमुचे: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: काल (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक adverb (formerly/previously)

• तया: by her; with her
• तया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental

• का: what (woman)
• का: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• अन्या: another
• अन्या: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'another'

• उपमीयते: is compared
• उपमीयते: क्रिया (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + मा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ('is compared')

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Warns that even exalted beings can be ‘immersed’ in māyā through fascination; motivates pilgrims to seek inner purity before darśana.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights how even exalted beings like Brahmā can be shaken by worldly or aesthetic fascination, implying that true steadiness arises by turning the mind from mere beauty toward the Supreme Lord (Śiva) and inner discipline.

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

By contrasting sensory enchantment with spiritual stability, it indirectly supports Saguna Śiva-upāsanā (such as Linga worship) as a means to collect the mind, purify desire, and anchor attention in the divine rather than external charm.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate dhairya (steadiness) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple Linga-dhyāna, using devotion to restrain the senses and redirect admiration into reverence.