Shloka 49

गाणपत्यदानकथा

Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude

Devanagari script

चित्रलेखोवाच । यदधान्मोहिनीरूपं केशवो मोह नेच्छया । पुरा तद्वैष्णवं योगमाश्रित्य परमार्थतः

Transliteration

citralekhovāca | yadadhānmohinīrūpaṃ keśavo moha necchayā | purā tadvaiṣṇavaṃ yogamāśritya paramārthataḥ

Translation

Citralekhā said: “Formerly, Keśava assumed the form of Mohinī—not from any wish to delude, but by taking refuge in that Vaiṣṇava yogic power, in accord with the highest truth.”

Word by Word

• चित्रलेखः: Citralekha
• चित्रलेखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रलेख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (speaker tag in narration)

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

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun: which/that)

• अधात्: assumed/put on
• अधात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/imperf.), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (placed/assumed)

• मोहिनी-रूपम्: the Mohinī form
• मोहिनी-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी + रूप (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (मोहिनी एव रूपम्: the form that is Mohinī); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोह: delusion
• मोह: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (delusion)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• इच्छया: by (his) will
• इच्छया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: by will/desire)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/once)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (that)

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Vaiṣṇava)

• योगम्: yoga/means
• योगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); उपसर्गः आ- (having resorted to)

• परमार्थतः: in ultimate truth
• परमार्थतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): in truth/ultimately

Speaker

Citralekhā

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Vishnu)
• Mohinī

FAQs

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

It distinguishes selfish delusion from divine yogic power: even extraordinary forms like Mohinī are presented as a purposeful manifestation aligned with paramārtha (highest truth), reminding devotees that cosmic powers operate under the supreme order upheld by Śiva.

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

By stressing “paramārthataḥ,” the verse points beyond appearances (rūpa) to the ultimate reality; in Shaiva practice, the Liṅga is worshipped as the saguna focus that leads the mind past moha toward realization of Śiva as the highest principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate viveka (discernment) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” using it to steady the mind so that changing forms and attractions do not become moha but are seen in the light of truth.