Shloka 33

नभगोपाख्यानम्

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

Devanagari script

पुत्रोदितं समाकर्ण्य श्राद्धदेवस्स वै मनुः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्भोजं प्राप्तस्मृतिरुवाच तम्

Transliteration

putroditaṃ samākarṇya śrāddhadevassa vai manuḥ | smṛtvā śivapadāmbhojaṃ prāptasmṛtiruvāca tam

Translation

Hearing what his son had said, Manu—known as Śrāddhadeva—remembered the lotus-feet of Lord Śiva; and through that remembrance his true awareness returned, whereupon he spoke to him.

Word by Word

• putra-uditam: (the words) spoken by the son
• putra-uditam: Karma (कर्म; heard object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (पुत्र) + udita (उदित; from ud-√i ‘to arise/utter’)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘putreṇa uditam’ = ‘uttered by the son’

• samākarṇya: having heard well
• samākarṇya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√kṛṇ/karṇ (सम् + आ + कर्ण्; ‘to hear fully’)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having heard completely’

• śrāddhadevaḥ: Śrāddhadeva (epithet of Manu)
• śrāddhadevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddhadeva (श्राद्धदेव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (वै अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (वै—निश्चय/खल्वर्थक अव्यय)

• manuḥ: Manu
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (मनु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• smṛtvā: having remembered
• smṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (स्मृ धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having remembered’

• śiva-pada-ambhojam: Śiva’s lotus-feet
• śiva-pada-ambhojam: Karma (कर्म; remembered object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव) + pada (पद) + ambhoja (अम्भोज)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nested): ‘śivasya padam’ + ‘padāmbhojam’ = ‘lotus of (his) feet’

• prāpta-smṛtiḥ: having regained (his) memory
• prāpta-smṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of Manu)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāpta (प्राप्त; from √āp ‘to obtain’) + smṛti (स्मृति)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘prāptā smṛtir yasya’ = ‘one who has regained memory’

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

• tam: to him
• tam: Karma (कर्म; addressed person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śivapadāmbhojam (smaraṇa of Śiva’s lotus-feet)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Manu (Shraddhadeva)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance of Lord Shiva) restores smṛti—inner clarity and right discernment—so the devotee can respond from dharma rather than confusion, aligning the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

Remembering Shiva’s “lotus-feet” points to Saguna devotion—holding a concrete, grace-filled form in mind (often via the Śiva-liṅga in worship), through which the mind becomes steady and receptive to Shiva’s anugraha (saving grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daily Shiva-smaraṇa: mentally bow to Shiva’s feet before speaking or acting; support it with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and brief dhyāna on the Śiva-liṅga to regain steadiness and sattvic remembrance.