Shloka 5

Strī-svabhāva-kathanam: Nārada–Pañcacūḍā-saṃvāda

Discourse on Dispassion via the Nārada–Pañcacūḍā Dialogue

Devanagari script

लोकान्परिचरन्धीमान्देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा । ददर्शाप्सरसं बालां पंचचूडामनुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

lokānparicarandhīmāndevarṣirnāradaḥ purā | dadarśāpsarasaṃ bālāṃ paṃcacūḍāmanuttamām

Translation

Once, the wise divine sage Nārada, roaming through the worlds, beheld an incomparable young apsarā named Pañcacūḍā.

Word by Word

• लोकान्: worlds / people
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• परिचरन्: wandering / attending upon
• परिचरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; धातु √चर् (to move/serve), उपसर्ग परि; विशेषणरूपेण नारदः

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• देवर्षिः: divine sage
• देवर्षिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; समास: देव + ऋषि (देवानां ऋषिः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• अप्सरसम्: an apsaras (celestial nymph)
• अप्सरसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• बालाम्: young
• बालाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of अप्सरसम्

• पञ्चचूडाम्: Pañcacūḍā
• पञ्चचूडाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चचूडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समास: पञ्च + चूडा, कर्मधारय (proper name)

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of पञ्चचूडाम्/अप्सरसम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Apsara
• Panchacuda

FAQs

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

It introduces a narrative moment where a great sage encounters extraordinary beauty—highlighting, in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the contrast between transient sense-objects (pāśa) and the liberating orientation toward Pati (Śiva).

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

By depicting travel through the worlds and encounters with alluring forms, it implicitly points the devotee back to steadiness in Saguna Shiva worship (such as Linga-upāsanā), where the mind is anchored in Śiva rather than external attractions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with mindful restraint, cultivating vairāgya when meeting captivating sense-experiences.