Shloka 20

ब्रह्माण्डदान-प्रशंसा तथा ब्रह्माण्ड-प्रमाण-वर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

आस्ते कुसुममालेव फणामणिशिलारुणा । यस्यैषा सकला पृथ्वी कस्तद्वीर्यं वदिष्यति

Transliteration

āste kusumamāleva phaṇāmaṇiśilāruṇā | yasyaiṣā sakalā pṛthvī kastadvīryaṃ vadiṣyati

Translation

Reddened by the jewel-like stones upon the hood of the cosmic serpent, the whole Earth rests upon Him like a garland of flowers. Who, then, can truly describe His might?

Word by Word

• आस्ते: sits/abides
• आस्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• कुसुम-माला: a garland of flowers
• कुसुम-माला: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• इव: like/as
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• फणामणि-शिला-अरुणा: reddish from the gem-stones on hoods
• फणामणि-शिला-अरुणा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एषा: this (she/this one)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सकला: entire/whole
• सकला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• पृथ्वी: earth
• पृथ्वी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Interrogative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वीर्यम्: power/valor
• वीर्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वदिष्यति: will speak/tell
• वदिष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Shesha

FAQs

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

The verse teaches humility before the Infinite: the Lord’s power sustains the cosmos, yet remains ultimately beyond complete verbal description; devotion (bhakti) arises when the ego admits its limits and turns to Pati, the supreme Lord.

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

By stressing the immeasurable might that upholds the world, the verse supports Saguna contemplation—worshipping Shiva through accessible forms like the Linga—while pointing to the deeper truth that His real greatness transcends form and speech.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a mood of awe and surrender, optionally accompanied by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as reminders of Shiva’s all-supporting sovereignty.