Shloka 74

उपमन्युकुमारस्य क्षीरार्थ-प्रार्थना तथा शिवप्रसाद-निबन्धनम् | Upamanyu’s Longing for Milk and the Doctrine of Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

उपमन्युः प्रसन्नात्मा प्राप्य शम्भोर्वरान्वरान् । जगाम जननीस्थानं मात्रे सर्वम वर्णयत्

Transliteration

upamanyuḥ prasannātmā prāpya śambhorvarānvarān | jagāma jananīsthānaṃ mātre sarvama varṇayat

Translation

Upamanyu, his heart filled with serenity, having obtained the most excellent boons from Śambhu (Lord Śiva), went to his mother’s abode and narrated everything to her in full.

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रसन्नात्मा: with a joyful heart
• प्रसन्नात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—प्रसन्नः आत्मा यस्य (कर्मधारय: 'one whose mind is pleased')

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थक अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; उपसर्गः—प्र

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वरान्: boons
• वरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वरान्: excellent (boons)
• वरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (emphatic repetition)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जननीस्थानम्: to his mother’s place
• जननीस्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जननी + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—जनन्याः स्थानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मात्रे: to (his) mother
• मात्रे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण

• वर्णयत्: described/told
• वर्णयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु; नामधातु from वर्ण)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Upamanyu
• Upamanyu's mother

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ideal that sincere devotion to Śiva culminates in inner serenity (prasannātmā) and divine grace, after which the devotee naturally shares the upliftment with others, beginning with one’s own family.

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

Śambhu here is Saguna Śiva—the gracious Lord who responds to bhakti with tangible boons. In Linga-worship traditions, this verse reflects the experiential outcome of worship: receiving Śiva’s anugraha (grace) and living transformed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is steady bhakti that leads to prasāda (Śiva’s grace)—such as daily Linga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offered with sincerity and followed by sharing dharma through truthful narration of one’s spiritual experience.