Shloka 1

पिप्पलाद-मुनिना पद्मा-विवाहः

Pippalāda’s Marriage to Padmā and the Establishment of Dharma

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । अथ लोके व्यवस्थाय धर्मस्य स्थापनेच्छया । महालीलां चकारेशस्तामहो सन्मुने शृणु

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | atha loke vyavasthāya dharmasya sthāpanecchayā | mahālīlāṃ cakāreśastāmaho sanmune śṛṇu

Translation

Nandīśvara said: Then, desiring to establish dharma and set the world in proper order, the Lord performed a great divine līlā. O noble sage, listen to that wondrous account.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थाय: having set in order
• व्यवस्थाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थाय (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) from व्यव-स्था; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having arranged/established)

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• स्थापनेच्छया: with the desire to establish
• स्थापनेच्छया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थापन-इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक); स्थापन (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्थापनस्य इच्छा)

• महालीलाम्: a great divine play
• महालीलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालीला (प्रातिपदिक); महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती लीला)

• चकार: did/performed
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ताम्: that (play)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; महालीलाम् इत्यस्य अन्वयः

• अहो: oh!/indeed!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयार्थक-निपात (exclamation)

• सत्-मुने: O good sage
• सत्-मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-मुनि (प्रातिपदिक); सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सन् मुनिः)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga māhātmya here; the verse functions as a narrative ‘nidāna’ announcing a dharma-sthāpana līlā of Īśa.

Significance: General: hearing (śravaṇa) of Śiva’s līlā is presented as dharma-pravartaka and bhakti-vardhaka (strengthening devotion and right order).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva’s “līlā” as compassionate governance: the Lord manifests and acts in the world to restore dharma and guide beings toward right order and ultimately liberation.

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

By presenting the Lord as Īśa who deliberately acts for dharma, it supports Saguna-oriented devotion—worshipping Śiva in accessible forms (including the Liṅga) as the gracious ruler who intervenes for the world’s upliftment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies attentive śravaṇa (devotional listening) to Śiva-kathā as a practice; one may pair it with remembrance of Śiva through the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating dharma and divine grace.