Shloka 53

Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ

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

Devanagari script

विश्वानर उवाच । महेश्वर किमज्ञातं सर्वज्ञस्य तव प्रभो । सर्वान्तरात्मा भगवाच्छर्वस्सर्व्वप्रदो भवान्

Transliteration

viśvānara uvāca | maheśvara kimajñātaṃ sarvajñasya tava prabho | sarvāntarātmā bhagavāccharvassarvvaprado bhavān

Translation

Viśvānara said: “O Maheśvara, O Lord—what could ever be unknown to You, the omniscient? You are the indwelling Self within all. O Blessed Śarva, You are the giver of everything.”

Word by Word

• विश्वानरः: Viśvānara
• विश्वानरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• महेश्वर: O Mahēśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अज्ञातम्: unknown
• अज्ञातम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; किम् इति विशेषण—‘unknown’

• सर्वज्ञस्य: of the omniscient
• सर्वज्ञस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘of the omniscient (one)’

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

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• सर्व-अन्तरात्मा: the inner Self of all
• सर्व-अन्तरात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहिर्वृत्त्या उपाधि—भवान्

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शर्वः: Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भगवान् इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण-उपाधि

• सर्व-प्रदः: giver of all
• सर्व-प्रदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—भवान्

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनामप्राय

Speaker

Viśvānara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse affirms Shiva as sarvajña (omniscient) and sarvāntarātmā (the indwelling Self), emphasizing the Shaiva Siddhanta insight that liberation comes by recognizing Pati (Shiva) as the inner Lord who grants grace and all attainments.

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

By praising Shiva as “Bhagavān Śarva” and “sarva-prada,” the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching Shiva through name, form, and Linga as the accessible embodiment of the all-knowing inner Reality who bestows both worldly boons and spiritual fulfillment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is contemplative japa and dhyāna: repeat Shiva’s names (e.g., “Maheśvara,” “Śarva”)—ideally with the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—while meditating on Him as the inner Self (antarātmā) present in all beings.