Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे शम्भुः सुलीलो भक्तवत्सलः । सुनर्तकनटो भूत्वा मेनकासन्निधिं ययौ

Transliteration

etasminnantare śambhuḥ sulīlo bhaktavatsalaḥ | sunartakanaṭo bhūtvā menakāsannidhiṃ yayau

Translation

Meanwhile, Śambhu—playful in His divine līlā and tenderly devoted to His devotees—assumed the form of an excellent dancer-actor and went into the presence of Menakā.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अन्तरे: in the meantime; in the interval
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘अन्तरे’ = ‘in the interval/meanwhile’

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सु-लीलः: playful; of charming sport
• सु-लीलः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्गवत्/अव्यय) + लील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरा लीलाऽस्य)

• भक्त-वत्सलः: affectionate to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भक्तेषु वत्सलः)

• सु-नर्तक-नटः: a fine dancer-actor
• सु-नर्तक-नटः: Karta (कर्ता; appositional role to Śambhu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्गवत्/अव्यय) + नर्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + नट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरः नर्तकः नटः)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having become’

• मेनका-सन्निधिम्: to Menakā’s presence
• मेनका-सन्निधिम्: Karma (कर्म/object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेनका (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मेनकायाः सन्निधिः)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Menaka

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as bhakta-vatsala—He freely adopts accessible, saguna forms through līlā to guide beings, showing that divine grace can arrive through ordinary-looking encounters.

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

Though the Liṅga points to the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality, this verse emphasizes the same Supreme acting as saguna—taking a visible form for devotees—affirming both modes of worship as valid in the Purāṇic vision.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as bhakta-vatsala while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” remembering that His grace may appear through unexpected forms and situations.