Shloka 9

Strī-svabhāva-kathanam: Nārada–Pañcacūḍā-saṃvāda

Discourse on Dispassion via the Nārada–Pañcacūḍā Dialogue

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य देवर्षेरप्सरोत्तमा । प्रत्युवाच मुनीशं तं देवर्षिं मुनिसत्तमम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | etacchrutvā vacastasya devarṣerapsarottamā | pratyuvāca munīśaṃ taṃ devarṣiṃ munisattamam

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Hearing the words of that divine seer, the foremost of the apsarās replied to that noble sage—the devarṣi, the best among ascetics.

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक; सनत्+कुमार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सनत्=नित्य/पुरातनः + कुमार=युवकः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; (कर्मणि)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• देवर्षेः: of the divine sage
• देवर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक; देव+ऋषि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (देवानां ऋषिः)

• अप्सरः-उत्तमा: the best of the apsarās
• अप्सरः-उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (उत्तमा अप्सरः)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) उपसर्गः प्रति+उत्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मुनीशम्: to the lord of sages
• मुनीशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनीश (प्रातिपदिक; मुनि+ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां ईशः)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देवर्षिम्: the divine sage
• देवर्षिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक; देव+ऋषि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः

• मुनि-सत्तमम्: the best among sages
• मुनि-सत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of देवर्षिम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-सदृशः (मुनिषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Devarshi
• Apsara

FAQs

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

It highlights the guru–śiṣya style transmission of sacred meaning: attentive hearing (śravaṇa) followed by a truthful response, a key method by which Shaiva wisdom about Pati (Śiva) and liberation is conveyed in the Umāsaṃhitā.

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

Though this line is narrative, it frames a teaching exchange that typically culminates in guidance about Saguna Śiva worship—devotional listening and responding in humility are presented as the proper attitude for receiving instructions on liṅga-pūjā and Shiva-centered dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa and manana—hearing sacred discourse and reflecting before replying; paired with Shaiva discipline, this supports japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady bhakti as taught in the Purāṇa.