Shloka 23

गृहस्थ-जीवनसंस्काराः तथा पुत्रजन्म-शुभलक्षणवर्णनम् / Household Saṃskāras and the Auspicious Portents of a Son’s Birth

Devanagari script

स्थावरा जंगमं रूपं धृत्वा यातास्सहस्रशः । महामहोत्सवे तस्मिन्बभूवाकालकौमुदी

Transliteration

sthāvarā jaṃgamaṃ rūpaṃ dhṛtvā yātāssahasraśaḥ | mahāmahotsave tasminbabhūvākālakaumudī

Translation

Assuming forms as both the immovable and the moving, they went forth by the thousands. In that great and supreme festival, there arose a moonlit radiance out of season—an untimely, wondrous brilliance—signifying the overflowing grace of Śiva’s manifest (saguṇa) presence.

Word by Word

• स्थावराः: immobile beings
• स्थावराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जङ्गमम्: moving, mobile
• जङ्गमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् रूपम् प्रति

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धृत्वा: having assumed
• धृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): 'having assumed/held'

• याताः: went, proceeded
• याताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) → यात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle) used predicatively

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand(s)
• सहस्रशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण-अव्यय/प्रकारवाचक (distributive adverb): 'by thousands'

• महामहोत्सवे: in the great festival
• महामहोत्सवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा+महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समास: महा+महोत्सव (great festival)

• तस्मिन्: in that (occasion)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बभूव: there was, arose
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अकालकौमुदी: an untimely moonlit brightness
• अकालकौमुदी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल+कौमुदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: अकाले (out of season) + कौमुदी (moonlight/bright night)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to Śiva’s all-pervasiveness: the same Lord is present as both sthāvara (fixed) and jaṅgama (moving). The ‘untimely moonlight’ symbolizes divine anugraha—grace that breaks ordinary limits and reveals the sacredness of existence.

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

Though Śiva is ultimately nirguṇa, devotees approach Him through saguṇa signs—Linga, sacred festivals, and visible manifestations. The verse supports Linga-bhakti by affirming that the Lord can be recognized through forms and auspicious divine indications in the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a practice of seeing Śiva in all beings (sthāvara-jaṅgama-darśana) while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and observing Śiva-utsava with devotion; this cultivates bhakti and receptivity to Śiva’s grace.