Shloka 27

नभगोपाख्यानम्

Nabhaga-Upākhyāna: The Account of Nabhaga and Shiva-Jñāna

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । कस्त्वं गृह्णासि पुरुष ममेदं वास्तुकं वसु । प्रेषितः केन तत्सर्वं सत्यं वद ममाग्रतः

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | kastvaṃ gṛhṇāsi puruṣa mamedaṃ vāstukaṃ vasu | preṣitaḥ kena tatsarvaṃ satyaṃ vada mamāgrataḥ

Translation

Īśvara said: “Who are you, O man, that you seize this wealth belonging to my dwelling? By whom were you sent? Speak all of that truthfully before me.”

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara (the Lord)
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; speaker tag

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Second-person pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• gṛhṇāsi: do you take/seize
• gṛhṇāsi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• puruṣa: O man
• puruṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First-person pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• vāstukam: belonging to the dwelling/house-property
• vāstukam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāstuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying vasu

• vasu: wealth/property
• vasu: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• preṣitaḥ: sent
• preṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: preṣita (√iṣ/√preṣ?; प्रेषित कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; 'sent/commissioned' (predicate of tvam)

• kena: by whom
• kena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; interrogative

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; refers to the act/matter

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with tat (tat sarvam = 'all that')

• satyam: truthfully
• satyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Used as indeclinable adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण द्वितीया): 'truthfully'

• vada: tell/speak
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First-person pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• agrataḥ: in front (of me)
• agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Īśvara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Īśvara as the inner witness and moral governor: no act of appropriation or deceit can be hidden from Shiva, and liberation-oriented life begins with satya (truth) and taking responsibility before the Divine.

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

As Saguna Shiva, Īśvara directly intervenes to uphold dharma—showing devotees that the Lord is not only worshiped in the Liṅga as a sacred presence, but also actively protects what is consecrated and demands truthfulness from the soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is satya-vrata (a vow of truth) as part of Shiva-sādhana: before japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” mentally confess and renounce dishonest gain, offering the action to Shiva with repentance and resolve.