Shloka 26

Devanagari script

प्राह स्वर्गसदोमध्ये पातालानीति नारदः । स्वर्लोकादति रम्याणि तेभ्योऽसावागतो दिवि

Transliteration

prāha svargasadomadhye pātālānīti nāradaḥ | svarlokādati ramyāṇi tebhyo'sāvāgato divi

Translation

In the midst of the celestial assembly, Nārada declared, “There are the Pātālas (netherworlds). They are even more delightful than Svarga.” Hearing this, he (the one being spoken of) came up to the heavens from those realms.

Word by Word

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• svarga-sadaḥ-madhye: in the midst of the heavenly assembly
• svarga-sadaḥ-madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + sadaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the midst of the heavenly assembly’

• pātālāni: the Pātālas (nether regions)
• pātālāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• svar-lokāt: from Svarga-loka (heaven)
• svar-lokāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• ati: very/exceedingly
• ati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय)
• Form: Preverb/adverb (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) meaning ‘exceedingly/very’

• ramyāṇi: delightful/beautiful
• ramyāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Plural; used predicatively with implied ‘(pātālāni)’

• tebhyaḥ: from them/than them
• tebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter/Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural

• asau: that one/he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• āgataḥ: came/has come
• āgataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having come’

• divi: in heaven
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

Primary narrator inferred as Sūta Gosvāmin (Uma-saṃhitā narration style), quoting Nārada within the verse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: lokas (svarga–pātāla) contrasted within purāṇic cosmography

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Svarga
• Patala

FAQs

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

It highlights that even “higher” realms like Svarga are still within saṃsāra; beauty and pleasure exist across worlds, but liberation (mokṣa) in Shaiva Siddhānta comes only through turning to Pati (Śiva) rather than chasing refined enjoyments.

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

By implying the limits of celestial attainments, the verse supports the Shaiva emphasis on devotion and surrender to Śiva (often approached as Saguna through Liṅga worship) as the stable refuge beyond all lokas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate vairāgya (detachment) and anchor the mind in japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a daily practice, treating all worldly and heavenly pleasures as transient compared to Śiva-bhakti.