Shloka 10

ऋषभचरित्रवर्णनम् (Ṛṣabha-caritra-varṇanam) — “Account of Ṛṣabha’s Sacred Narrative”

Devanagari script

द्रष्टुं शक्यो नरैर्नाहमृते ध्यानात्पितामह । दानधर्मादिभिर्वत्स साधनैः कर्महेतुभिः

Transliteration

draṣṭuṃ śakyo narairnāhamṛte dhyānātpitāmaha | dānadharmādibhirvatsa sādhanaiḥ karmahetubhiḥ

Translation

O Pitāmaha (Grandfather Brahmā), men cannot behold Me except through meditation. Dear one, not by means such as charity, ritual virtue, and other disciplines that are causes of action (karma) can I be truly seen.

Word by Word

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अर्थः: द्रष्टुं = to see

• śakyaḥ: possible/able (to be)
• śakyaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative adjective)

• naraiḥ: by men/people
• naraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• ṛte: except/without
• ṛte: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपपद-प्रयोगः (prepositional indeclinable) अर्थः: विना/ऋते (except/without); प्रायः पञ्चमी-सह (with ablative)

• dhyānāt: from meditation; by means of meditation (as exception)
• dhyānāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• pitāmaha: O Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmaha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• dāna-dharma-ādibhiḥ: by charity, dharma, and the like
• dāna-dharma-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); समाहार/समुच्चयार्थ-तत्पुरुषः: दानधर्मादयः (charity, dharma, etc.)

• vatsa: O dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• sādhanaiḥ: by means/practices
• sādhanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• karma-hetubhiḥ: by causes/means of (ritual) action
• karma-hetubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); तत्पुरुषः: कर्मणां हेतवः (causes/means of action/ritual works)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Reorients ‘darśana’ from external pilgrimage/merit to inner dhyāna; the true kṣetra is the purified mind where Śiva reveals Himself.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is not an object attained by merit alone; direct realization (darśana) comes through dhyāna—inner absorption that turns the mind from karma and its fruits toward the Lord as Pati, the liberator.

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

External worship and dharmic acts support purification, but Shiva says true ‘seeing’ arises through meditation—using the Linga (Saguna support) as an aid to concentrate until awareness becomes steady and inwardly illumined.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna is primary: sit in steadiness, remember Shiva with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplate the Lord in the heart; charity and dharma are supportive but not substitutes for meditative realization.