Shloka 32

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । सरस्यमाकर्ण्य महेशवाक्यं ह्यतिप्रसन्नः कनकाक्षदैत्यः । कृतांजलिर्नम्रशिरा उवाच स्तुत्या च नत्वा विविधं गिरीशम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | sarasyamākarṇya maheśavākyaṃ hyatiprasannaḥ kanakākṣadaityaḥ | kṛtāṃjalirnamraśirā uvāca stutyā ca natvā vividhaṃ girīśam

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Hearing the words of Mahēśa, the Dāitya Kanakākṣa became exceedingly delighted. With folded hands and head bowed low, he spoke—having offered many kinds of salutations and hymns to Girīśa (Lord Śiva).

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सरसि: in the lake
• सरसि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√कर्ण्/√कृ (श्रवणे; धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• महेश-वाक्यम्: Mahēśa's words
• महेश-वाक्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for), अव्यय

• अति-प्रसन्नः: very delighted
• अति-प्रसन्नः: विशेषण (Adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कनक-अक्ष-दैत्यः: Kanakākṣa the demon
• कनक-अक्ष-दैत्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘कनकाक्षः’ इति कर्मधारय, ततः ‘कनकाक्षः दैत्यः’ इति कर्मधारय

• कृत-अञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• कृत-अञ्जलिः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त; कृदन्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘whose hands are in añjali (folded)’

• नम्र-शिराः: bowed-headed
• नम्र-शिराः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘whose head is bowed’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्तुत्या: with praise
• स्तुत्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction), अव्यय

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having bowed’

• विविधम्: in various ways
• विविधम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• गिरीशम्: Girīśa (Lord of mountains, Śiva)
• गिरीशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sanatkumara
• Kanakaksha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even a hardened asura can be softened through śravaṇa (reverent hearing) of Śiva’s words, which awakens humility (namraśiras) and bhakti expressed as stuti and namaskāra—key Shaiva means for inner purification and grace.

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

The focus is on Saguna Śiva as Girīśa/Maheśa—approached through visible devotional acts (folded hands, bowing, hymns). Such embodied worship parallels Liṅga-upāsanā, where devotion is concretized through respectful gestures, praise, and surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests śravaṇa (listening to Śiva-kathā), followed by añjali (folded-hands reverence) and stuti (recitation of hymns). Practically, one may pair this with daily Śiva-stotra recitation and mental bowing before the Liṅga as a bhakti-based sādhana.