Shloka 20

Daśa-Śivāvatāra-Nirūpaṇa

Enumeration of Ten Prime Manifestations of Śiva with Their Śaktis

Devanagari script

शांकरा निजधर्मस्थाः शृण्वन्तश्चरितन्त्विदम् । सुखिनः स्युर्विशेषेण शिवभक्ता भवन्तु च

Transliteration

śāṃkarā nijadharmasthāḥ śṛṇvantaścaritantvidam | sukhinaḥ syurviśeṣeṇa śivabhaktā bhavantu ca

Translation

May those devoted to Śaṅkara, established in their own righteous duty, who listen to this sacred account, become especially happy—and may they indeed become devotees of Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• शांकराः: Śaṅkara’s (devotees/people)
• शांकराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निजधर्मस्थाः: steadfast in their own dharma
• निजधर्मस्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज + धर्म + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (निजे धर्मे स्थाः = abiding in one’s own duty)

• शृण्वन्तः: listening
• शृण्वन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त-शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शांकराः)

• चरितम्: deed, story, conduct
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-क्त from चर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying चरितम्)

• सुखिनः: happy
• सुखिनः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• स्युः: would be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially)

• शिवभक्ताः: devotees of Śiva
• शिवभक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवस्य भक्ताः)

• भवन्तु: let them become
• भवन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the phala-śruti (spiritual fruit) of hearing Śiva’s deeds: when one listens while remaining grounded in dharma, Śiva’s grace matures into happiness and firm Shiva-bhakti, which in Shaiva Siddhanta is a direct means toward liberation.

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

By praising śravaṇa of Śiva-carita, the verse supports Saguna Śiva devotion—approaching the Lord through His names, forms, and līlās (including Linga worship)—as a practical doorway by which devotion deepens and the mind becomes fit for higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa (listening/recitation) of Shiva Purana kathā with dharmic living; it may be paired with simple Shiva-bhakti supports such as japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and daily remembrance of Śiva.