Shloka 22

उपमन्यूपदेशः

Upamanyu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

श्रीकरो गोपिकासूनुर्नृपपूजाविलोकनात् । जातभक्तिर्महादेवे परमां सिद्धिमाप्तवान्

Transliteration

śrīkaro gopikāsūnurnṛpapūjāvilokanāt | jātabhaktirmahādeve paramāṃ siddhimāptavān

Translation

Śrīkara, the son of a cowherd woman, upon witnessing the king’s worship, awakened devotion to Mahādeva and attained the supreme spiritual accomplishment (siddhi).

Word by Word

• श्रीकरः: Śrīkara
• श्रीकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गोपिकासूनुः: son of a cowherd-woman
• गोपिकासूनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपिका + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोपिकायाः सूनुः)

• नृपपूजाविलोकनात्: from seeing the king's worship
• नृपपूजाविलोकनात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + पूजा + विलोकन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (नृपस्य पूजायाः विलोकनम्)

• जातभक्तिः: whose devotion arose
• जातभक्तिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; जन्-धातु) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (जाता भक्तिः यस्य/यस्याः) विशेषण (श्रीकरः इति)

• महादेवे: in Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सिद्धिम् इति)

• सिद्धिम्: attainment, perfection
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आप्तवान्: attained
• आप्तवान्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Perfect participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Darśana of Śiva-pūjā (even as a witness) is portrayed as bhakti-janaka and siddhi-prada—supporting tīrtha/temple culture where seeing worship itself is transformative.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahadeva
• Shrikara

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhakti to Mahādeva can arise even through simple darśana—witnessing sincere worship—and that such awakened devotion can mature into the highest siddhi, i.e., liberation through Śiva’s grace.

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

The verse highlights the transformative power of visible, embodied worship (saguṇa-upāsanā), commonly expressed in the Shiva Purana through Liṅga-pūjā; seeing proper pūjā inspires faith and draws the mind toward Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests cultivating devotion through attending or observing Śiva-pūjā (especially on Mahāśivarātri), mentally offering reverence, and then adopting steady daily worship with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).