Shloka 13

Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ

The Account of Viśvānara Gṛhapati and Śiva’s Descent into the House of Fire

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचः पत्युस्तस्य सा पतिदेवता । उवाच हृष्यद्वदना करौ बद्ध्वा विनीतिका

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | ityākarṇya vacaḥ patyustasya sā patidevatā | uvāca hṛṣyadvadanā karau baddhvā vinītikā

Translation

Nandīśvara said: Hearing thus the words of her husband, that devoted wife—her face radiant with joy—spoke with humility, joining her hands in reverent submission.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-समाप्ति/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय; quotative particle

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/ल्यप्), अव्ययभाव; having heard

• वचः: words
• वचः: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• पत्युः: of (her) husband
• पत्युः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular pronoun

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular pronoun

• पतिदेवता: a wife devoted to her husband
• पतिदेवता: समानााधिकरण (विशेष्य/Predicate noun in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति-देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; (पतिः एव देवता यस्याः/for whom husband is deity)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular

• हृष्यद्वदना: with a delighted face
• हृष्यद्वदना: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्यत्-वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; (हृष्यत् = हृष् धातोः शतृ-प्रत्यय/Present participle)

• करौ: (her) two hands
• करौ: कर्म (कर्म/Object of gerund)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन; Accusative dual

• बद्ध्वा: having joined (folded)
• बद्ध्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; having bound/joined

• विनीतिका: humble, modest
• विनीतिका: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनीतिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; adjective in apposition

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Nandi

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva virtue of vinaya (humility): inner surrender expressed through respectful speech and folded hands, which prepares the heart for Shiva’s grace and right action (dharma).

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

The verse models the devotional attitude (bhāva) essential in Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the Lord (and dharmic authority) with reverence, self-restraint, and gratitude, the same spirit used in Linga pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali-mudrā (folded hands) with a humble prayer before japa or pūjā—especially while repeating the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating a reverent, softened mind.