Shloka 16

ब्रह्माण्डदान-प्रशंसा तथा ब्रह्माण्ड-प्रमाण-वर्णनम्

Praise of the Gift of the Cosmic Egg and Description of the Brahmāṇḍa’s Measure

Devanagari script

लांगलासक्तहस्ताग्रो बिभ्रन्मुसलमुत्तमम् । योऽर्च्यते नागकन्याभिस्स्वर्णवर्णाभिरादरात्

Transliteration

lāṃgalāsaktahastāgro bibhranmusalamuttamam | yo'rcyate nāgakanyābhissvarṇavarṇābhirādarāt

Translation

He whose foremost hand rests upon the plough, and who bears an excellent pestle—He is worshipped with reverence by the Nāga maidens of golden hue.

Word by Word

• लाङ्गल-आसक्त-हस्त-अग्रः: whose hand-tip is fixed on/holding a plough
• लाङ्गल-आसक्त-हस्त-अग्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लाङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘लाङ्गले आसक्तः हस्ताग्रः यस्य सः’ (whose hand-tip is attached to/holding a plough)

• बिभ्रन्: bearing/carrying
• बिभ्रन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• मुसलम्: a club/pestle
• मुसलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘मुसलम्’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अर्च्यते: is worshipped
• अर्च्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• नाग-कन्याभिः: by serpent-maidens
• नाग-कन्याभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘नागानां कन्याः’ (daughters of serpents)

• स्वर्ण-वर्णाभिः: golden-complexioned
• स्वर्ण-वर्णाभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘स्वर्ण इव वर्णः’ (golden-colored), qualifying ‘नागकन्याभिः’

• आदरात्: out of reverence
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (cause/reason)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Naga maidens

FAQs

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

The verse highlights ādarāt—reverent worship—as the essential inner posture of bhakti, showing that even powerful non-human beings (Nāga maidens) attain merit by honoring the deity’s manifest (saguṇa) form with devotion.

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

By describing a worship-worthy, iconographic form (with plough and pestle), the verse supports saguṇa-upāsanā—approaching Shiva’s reality through a perceivable form—while Shaiva Siddhānta understands such form-worship as a valid means leading the soul toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to perform pūjā with ādarā (care, purity, and attention): offer respectful salutations, maintain disciplined conduct, and center the mind in devotion—an attitude that complements Shiva Purana practices like mantra-japa and traditional worship.