Shloka 26

देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas

Devastuti

Devanagari script

शारदा विप्रतनया बालवैधव्यमागता । तव भक्तेः प्रभावात्तु पुत्रसौभा ग्यवत्यभूत्

Transliteration

śāradā vipratanayā bālavaidhavyamāgatā | tava bhakteḥ prabhāvāttu putrasaubhā gyavatyabhūt

Translation

Śāradā, the daughter of a brāhmaṇa, became a widow while still young; yet through the power of your devotion to Lord Śiva, she was blessed with the good fortune of a son.

Word by Word

• शारदा: Śāradā (a woman named Śāradā)
• शारदा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विप्र-तनया: daughter of a brāhmaṇa
• विप्र-तनया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तनया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘विप्रस्य तनया’

• बाल-वैधव्यम्: child-widowhood
• बाल-वैधव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘बालस्य वैधव्यम्’ (widowhood in childhood)

• आगता: had attained / had come to
• आगता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘आगता’ = having come/attained

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भक्तेः: of (your) devotion
• भक्तेः: Hetu/Sambandha (हेतु/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रभावात्: from the power/effect
• प्रभावात्: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• पुत्र-सौभाग्य-वती: possessing the good fortune of a son
• पुत्र-सौभाग्य-वती: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्/वती (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुत्रस्य सौभाग्यम्’ + ‘वती’ (possessing)

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Shows Śiva’s grace operating within worldly suffering (duḥkha) to restore auspiciousness; bhakti becomes a means for overcoming social/biographical misfortune.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva-anugraha: even severe worldly suffering can be transformed when devotion becomes the inner cause, showing that bhakti to Pati (Śiva) reshapes karmic outcomes and restores auspiciousness.

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

The verse points to Saguna Śiva’s accessible grace—worship of the Śiva-liṅga with faith and surrender is presented in the Purāṇa as a direct means to receive protection, wellbeing, and auspicious results.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Śiva-bhakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple liṅga-pūjā with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as a sign of Śaiva surrender.