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Shloka 4

देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas

Devastuti

वेदोऽपि महिमानं ते न जानाति हि तत्त्वतः । यथामति महात्मानस्सर्वे गायंति सद्यशः

vedo'pi mahimānaṃ te na jānāti hi tattvataḥ | yathāmati mahātmānassarve gāyaṃti sadyaśaḥ

Even the Veda does not truly know Your glory in its full reality. According to their own capacity, all great souls sing of it—each in their own way, as best they can.

vedaḥthe Veda
vedaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; particle (emphasis/‘even’)
mahimānamgreatness
mahimānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmahimān (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन
teof you/your
te:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6), एकवचन; enclitic form
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; negation particle
jānātiknows
jānāti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√jñā (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; particle (indeed/for)
tattvataḥin truth
tattvataḥ:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottattva (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय, अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तसिलन्त-अव्यय = ‘in reality/essentially’
yathā-matiaccording to their intellect
yathā-mati:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः = ‘according to (one’s) understanding’
mahātmānaḥgreat souls
mahātmānaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन
sarveall
sarve:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying mahātmānaḥ
gāyantising/praise
gāyanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gai (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्
sadyaśaḥimmediately
sadyaśaḥ:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsadyaḥ (अव्यय) + śas (शस्-प्रत्यय, अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शस्-प्रत्ययान्त = ‘immediately/at once’ (adverb)

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthāla) passage; it is a doctrinal praise (stuti) emphasizing Śiva’s anirvacanīya-mahimā (inexpressible greatness) beyond even Vedic reach.

Significance: General tīrtha-phala motif: humility before Śiva’s transcendence and reliance on bhakti rather than mere textual mastery.

Type: stotra

S
Shiva
V
Vedas

FAQs

It teaches Shiva’s transcendence: even scriptural language cannot exhaust His tattva (true reality), so devotion and humble praise become valid paths when knowledge reaches its limit.

The Linga signifies the indescribable Supreme (beyond form), while Saguna worship offers an accessible way to praise Him—this verse affirms that all sincere praise, suited to one’s capacity, is meaningful.

Regular stotra-japa and nāma-saṅkīrtana—especially Panchakshara mantra japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—as a humble offering, accepting that Shiva’s fullness is beyond conceptual grasp.