Shloka 3

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य व्यासस्यामितमेधसः । प्रत्युवाच प्रसन्नात्मा ब्रह्मपुत्रो महामुनिः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya vyāsasyāmitamedhasaḥ | pratyuvāca prasannātmā brahmaputro mahāmuniḥ

Translation

Sūta said: Having thus heard the words of Vyāsa, whose intellect was immeasurable, the great sage—the son of Brahmā—serene of heart, replied.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, prathamā-vibhakti, ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), ekavacana, parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle (iti-vācaka)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√karṇ (धातु: karṇ/śru-arthaka)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय), ‘having heard/listened’

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), prathamā-vibhakti, ekavacana; here as object in sense (often used as accusative too); taken with tasya as ‘his words’

• tasya: of him/of that (person)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti, ekavacana; pronoun

• vyāsasya: of Vyāsa
• vyāsasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti, ekavacana

• amita-medhasaḥ: of immeasurable intellect
• amita-medhasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + medhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti, ekavacana; adjective qualifying vyāsasya

• prati-uvāca: replied
• prati-uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), prathama-puruṣa, ekavacana, parasmaipada; ‘replied’

• prasanna-ātmā: one whose mind was serene
• prasanna-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, prathamā-vibhakti, ekavacana; adjective used substantively qualifying brahmaputraḥ/mahāmuniḥ

• brahma-putraḥ: son of Brahmā
• brahma-putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, prathamā-vibhakti, ekavacana; genitive-tatpuruṣa—‘son of Brahmā’

• mahā-muniḥ: the great sage
• mahā-muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, prathamā-vibhakti, ekavacana; apposition to brahmaputraḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Brahma

FAQs

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

This verse highlights the sacred lineage of transmission: profound Shaiva teaching is preserved through attentive listening (śravaṇa) and calm, sattvic response by realized sages, ensuring that knowledge of Pati (Śiva) is conveyed authentically for liberation.

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

Though the verse is narrative, it frames the authority behind later instructions on Saguna worship (such as Liṅga-pūjā). The Purana’s guidance on ritual and devotion is presented as coming through a trustworthy rishi lineage, making the practices dependable for devotees.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa and manana—listening with reverence and reflecting with a शांत (prasanna) mind. This inner discipline supports mantra-japa (including the Pañcākṣarī) and steadiness in Shiva-bhakti, even when explicit rituals are not mentioned in this line.