Shloka 27

Satyavrata, Vasiṣṭha, and the Crisis of Dharma: Protection, Anger, and Vow-Discipline

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । पारीक्षितेन संपृष्टो वैशंपायन एव च । यदाचष्ट स्म तद्वक्ष्ये शृणुष्वैकमना मुने

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | pārīkṣitena saṃpṛṣṭo vaiśaṃpāyana eva ca | yadācaṣṭa sma tadvakṣye śṛṇuṣvaikamanā mune

Translation

Sūta said: When King Parīkṣit questioned him, the sage Vaiśaṃpāyana spoke. I shall now relate exactly what he then declared—listen, O sage, with a one-pointed mind.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पारीक्षितेन: by Parīkṣit
• पारीक्षितेन: Kartr/Agent of passive (कर्ता—कर्मणि प्रयोगे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संपृष्टः: having been asked
• संपृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive sense)

• वैशंपायनः: Vaiśaṃpāyana
• वैशंपायनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशंपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive particle)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: what (that which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोग (relative pronoun)

• आचष्ट: he related/told
• आचष्ट: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्म: indeed/then
• स्म: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (reminiscent/quotative particle, often with past)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्वादेश (correlative)

• वक्ष्ये: I will tell
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• एकमनाः: single-minded
• एकमनाः: Sambodhana-anvaya (सम्बोधन-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (एकं मनः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (addressed to listener)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parikshit
• Vaishampayana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śravaṇa (devotional listening) with ekāgratā (one-pointed attention) as a primary doorway for receiving Shaiva wisdom—knowledge that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati) through right understanding.

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

Though it does not directly mention the Liṅga, it establishes the puranic method: hearing the sacred narration about Shiva’s forms, deeds, and teachings. Such attentive listening purifies devotion and supports saguna-upāsanā, which can mature into deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is disciplined śravaṇa: sit with a steady mind, listen to Shiva Purana recitation, and contemplate the teaching without distraction—an ekāgratā practice that complements mantra-japa and daily Shiva worship.