Shloka 119

Devanagari script

एवं लब्धवरो व्यासो महेशान्मध्यमेश्वरात । अष्टादश पुराणानि प्रणिनाय स्वलीलया

Transliteration

evaṃ labdhavaro vyāso maheśānmadhyameśvarāta | aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni praṇināya svalīlayā

Translation

Thus, having obtained the boon from Maheśa—the Lord who stands as the inner ruler in the middle of all beings and worlds—Vyāsa, by his own divine play, composed the eighteen Purāṇas.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय; adverb ‘thus/in this way’

• लब्ध-वरः: having obtained a boon
• लब्ध-वरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) + समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लब्धः वरः यस्य) = ‘having obtained a boon’ qualifying व्यासः

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• महेशात्: from Maheśa
• महेशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular (source)

• मध्यम-ईश्वरात्: from the Middle Lord (Madhyameśvara)
• मध्यम-ईश्वरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मध्यमः ईश्वरः)

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अविकारी; here used as adjective to पुराणानि; द्विगु-समासः (अष्ट + दश)

• पुराणानि: Purāṇas
• पुराणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• प्रणिनाय: composed/produced
• प्रणिनाय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: प्र; ‘composed/produced/brought forth’

• स्व-लीलया: by his own play (effortlessly)
• स्व-लीलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य लीलया)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; it narrates Vyāsa’s empowerment: receiving vara (boon) from Maheśa as Madhyameśvara (‘inner ruler in the middle’), Vyāsa composes the eighteen Purāṇas—scripture as a product of Śiva’s anugraha enabling creative revelation.

Significance: Positions Purāṇic revelation as Śiva-granted: engaging with Purāṇas becomes a means to approach the ‘Madhyameśvara’ within, turning study (svādhyāya) into pilgrimage of consciousness.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Mahesha

FAQs

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

It presents Mahesha (Pati) as the ultimate source of sacred knowledge and grace: Vyāsa’s authorship is grounded in Śiva’s boon, showing that liberation-oriented dharma and Purāṇic teaching flow from the Lord’s anugraha (grace).

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

By naming Mahesha as the giver of the boon enabling scripture, the verse supports Saguna Śiva devotion—Linga-worship and narrated līlās become authoritative means to approach the Nirguna reality through Śiva’s gracious, knowable form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening/recitation) of Śiva-centered Purāṇic teachings as a sādhana; one may pair this with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to seek Mahesha’s grace that awakens right understanding.