Shloka 21

अवधूतेश्वरलीला (Avadhūteśvara-līlā) — Śiva Tests Indra’s Pride on the Way to Kailāsa

Devanagari script

कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा ततो गुरुरुदारधीः । दण्डवत्कौ पुनर्नत्वा प्रभुं तुष्टाव भक्तितः

Transliteration

kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā tato gururudāradhīḥ | daṇḍavatkau punarnatvā prabhuṃ tuṣṭāva bhaktitaḥ

Translation

Then the noble-minded Guru, joining his palms in reverence, again bowed down in full daṇḍavat prostration and, with devotion, praised the Lord—the supreme Master.

Word by Word

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands folded (in añjali)
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु-कृदन्त) + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्य) — ‘hands folded’ अर्थे विशेषणम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having become’

• ततः: then
• ततः: देश/कालाधिकरण-निर्देशक (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गुरुः: the guru (Bṛhaspati)
• गुरुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उदारधीः: of noble intellect
• उदारधीः: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार-धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: उदारा धीः यस्य

• दण्डवत्: like a staff (prostrate)
• दण्डवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), नमस्कार-प्रकारवाचक

• कौ: the two (hands/arms)
• कौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘कौ’ = ‘(his) two (hands/arms)’ इत्यर्थे (पाठभेद/संदिग्ध)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having bowed’

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: सम्प्रदान/प्रति (Target)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘भक्तितः’ = ‘out of devotion/devotionally’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents bhakti as embodied surrender: joining the palms (añjali) and full prostration (daṇḍavat) purify ego and align the devotee with Pati (Śiva), the liberating Lord.

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

The gestures described are classic forms of Saguna worship—approaching the Lord as the personal Prabhu (Śiva), often before the Śiva-liṅga, where praise and namaskāra become direct devotional offerings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali and daṇḍavat namaskāra before Śiva (or the liṅga) while reciting the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offering heartfelt stuti (praise) as a daily bhakti-sādhana.