Shloka 25

Gṛhapati’s Vow: Turning Grief into Mṛtyuñjaya–Mahākāla Sādhana (गृहपतेः प्रतिज्ञा—मृत्युंजय-महाकालजपः)

Devanagari script

साञ्जलिर्नतशीर्षोऽसौ महानन्दान्वितस्सुधीः । त्रैलोक्यप्राणसन्त्राणकारिणम्प्रणनाम ह

Transliteration

sāñjalirnataśīrṣo'sau mahānandānvitassudhīḥ | trailokyaprāṇasantrāṇakāriṇampraṇanāma ha

Translation

With palms joined and head bowed, that wise one—filled with great bliss—bowed down in reverence to the Protector who safeguards the very life-breath of the three worlds.

Word by Word

• स-अञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• स-अञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपपद-सम्बन्ध ‘स’ = सह/युक्त (with folded hands)

• नत-शीर्षः: (he) whose head was bowed
• नत-शीर्षः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (कृदन्त; √नम् (धातु) + क्त) + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य शीर्षं नतम् सः)

• असौ: that (man), he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular (demonstrative pronoun)

• महानन्द-अन्वितः: endowed with great bliss
• महानन्द-अन्वितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) + अन्वि + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (महानन्देन अन्वितः = endowed with great bliss)

• सुधीः: the wise man
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रैलोक्य-प्राण-सन्त्राण-कारिणम्: the protector of the lives of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्य-प्राण-सन्त्राण-कारिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्त्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (त्रैलोक्यस्य प्राणानां सन्त्राणं करोति इति)

• प्रणनाम: bowed down, paid obeisance
• प्रणनाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नम् (धातु) + प्र
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• ह: indeed
• ह: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: At Viśveśvara’s presence in Kāśī, the devotee performs añjali and praṇāma to the Lord described as the protector of the three worlds’ very prāṇa—an epithet aligning Viśvanātha with cosmic guardianship and sustaining grace.

Significance: Praṇāma to Viśvanātha as trailokya-prāṇa-saṃtrātā is held to grant fearlessness, protection, and ultimately liberation through Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed through humility—añjali and bowed head—by which the devotee aligns with Shiva, the Pati, who protects and sustains all beings; such surrender becomes a vessel for Shiva’s grace.

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

The verse portrays personal reverence to Shiva as the cosmic protector, which is the heart of Saguna worship; in Linga-puja the same attitude is embodied through namaskara and offering, recognizing Shiva’s all-pervading guardianship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice namaskara with añjali before Shiva/Linga, cultivating inner humility; mentally repeat the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while bowing, contemplating Shiva as the protector of the three worlds’ life-force.