Shloka 55

नभगोपाख्यानम्

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

Devanagari script

विष्णुर्ब्रह्मापि देवाद्यास्सर्वे ते मुनिसत्तम । स्वंस्वं धाम ययुः प्रीत्या तस्यै नत्वा दिशे मुदा

Transliteration

viṣṇurbrahmāpi devādyāssarve te munisattama | svaṃsvaṃ dhāma yayuḥ prītyā tasyai natvā diśe mudā

Translation

O best of sages, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and all the other gods, having joyfully bowed in reverence to that Divine Direction where Śiva’s presence was revealed, departed with glad hearts to their respective abodes.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also’

• देव-आद्याः: the gods and others (the foremost ones)
• देव-आद्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-शब्देन विशेषणम्)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्वम्: (each) his own
• स्वम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (each his own)

• धाम: abode
• धाम: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• प्रीत्या: with delight
• प्रीत्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; हेतौ/भावे ‘with joy/affection’

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having bowed’

• दिशे: towards the direction / to (their) quarters
• दिशे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga setting; it depicts the cosmic order re-stabilizing after a Śiva-theophany: devas return to their dhāmas after saluting the locus/direction of revelation.

Significance: Teaches reverence to the ‘sthāna’ of Śiva’s manifestation (dik/diś), anticipating later tīrtha-logic where place becomes sanctified by darśana.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Devas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the highest cosmic powers (Brahmā and Viṣṇu) respond to Śiva’s revelation with humble namaskāra, affirming Śiva (Pati) as the supreme refuge and the source of auspiciousness.

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

The act of bowing toward the manifested ‘direction’ of divine presence reflects Saguna worship—Śiva becoming accessible through a perceivable locus (as in Liṅga-darśana), which evokes devotion and orderly return to dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice reverent namaskāra and dhyāna toward Śiva’s presence—especially during Liṅga-pūjā—while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a joyful, surrendered mind.