Shloka 31

छायापुरुषलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Marks of the Shadow-Person

Devanagari script

इति मे वर्णितो विप्राः सुखदः परमार्थयुक् । सनत्कुमारकालेयसंवादो ज्ञानवर्द्धनः

Transliteration

iti me varṇito viprāḥ sukhadaḥ paramārthayuk | sanatkumārakāleyasaṃvādo jñānavarddhanaḥ

Translation

Thus, O brāhmaṇa sages, I have described to you this dialogue between Sanatkumāra and Kāleya—bestowing spiritual happiness, grounded in the highest truth, and increasing true knowledge.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणचिह्न (quotative particle)

• मे: by me; of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• वर्णितः: described
• वर्णितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate as participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘संवादः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), बहुवचन

• सुखदः: bestowing happiness
• सुखदः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सुखं ददाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘संवादः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• परमार्थ: highest truth; supreme purpose
• परमार्थ: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (परमः अर्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद in next compound)

• युक्: endowed with; connected with
• युक्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘परमार्थ-युक्(त)’ = परमार्थयुक्तः (sandhi-lopa)

• सनत्कुमार: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमार: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: सनत् + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/नामसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• कालेय: Kāleya
• कालेय: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: कालेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• संवादः: dialogue; conversation
• संवादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सनत्कुमार-कालेययोः संवादः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• वर्द्धनः: increasing knowledge
• वर्द्धनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृध् (धातु) + ल्युट्/णिच्? → वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानं वर्द्धयति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘संवादः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Kaleya

FAQs

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

It functions as a closing affirmation that the narrated discourse is not mere story, but a paramārtha-teaching meant to expand jñāna and lead the seeker toward Shiva-centered liberation.

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

By praising the dialogue as “paramārtha-yuk,” the text indicates that right understanding supports right worship—Saguna devotion (including Linga worship) becomes a vehicle for inner purification and knowledge oriented to Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa (listening) and manana (reflecting) on Shaiva teachings; as a practical takeaway, pair study with japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to internalize the knowledge.