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Shloka 11

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

गंगां विहाय तृप्त्यर्थं मरुवारि यथा व्रजेत् । विहाय देवीं तद्भिन्नं तथा देवान्तरं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

gaṃgāṃ vihāya tṛptyarthaṃ maruvāri yathā vrajet | vihāya devīṃ tadbhinnaṃ tathā devāntaraṃ vrajet

Translation

Just as one who abandons the Gaṅgā and goes, seeking satisfaction, to the water of a desert—so too, abandoning the Goddess and turning to another deity who is separate from Her is equally misguided.

Word by Word
गङ्गाम्Ganga
गङ्गाम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
विहायhaving abandoned
विहाय:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√हा (धातु) उपसर्गः वि + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having left/abandoned’
तृप्ति-अर्थम्for satisfaction
तृप्ति-अर्थम्:
Hetu/Purpose (प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootतृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक-तत्पुरुषः — ‘तृप्त्यर्थम्’ (for satisfaction)
मरु-वारिdesert-water (a mirage/unsuitable water)
मरु-वारि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमरु (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘मरौ वारि’ (desert-water)
यथाjust as
यथा:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)
व्रजेत्should go
व्रजेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√व्रज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
विहायhaving abandoned
विहाय:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√हा (धातु) उपसर्गः वि + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having abandoned’
देवीम्the Goddess
देवीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
तद्-भिन्नम्something different from her
तद्-भिन्नम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् धातु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘तस्मात् भिन्नम्’ (different from her/that)
तथाlikewise
तथा:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकार/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (so, likewise)
देव-अन्तरम्another deity
देव-अन्तरम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘अन्यः देवः’ (another deity)
व्रजेत्should go
व्रजेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√व्रज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya, conveying the puranic doctrine of devotion to Umā-Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse uses Gaṅgā as a purity-and-fulfillment benchmark; in Śaiva sthala traditions Gaṅgā is inseparable from Śiva (Gaṅgādhara), but no specific Jyotirliṅga is invoked here.

Significance: Implied: true satisfaction (tṛpti) comes from the supreme refuge; seeking it elsewhere is like chasing mirage-water.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities
G
Ganga
D
Devi (Uma/Shakti)

FAQs

The verse teaches discernment in devotion: turning away from the true source of grace (Devī as Śakti, inseparable from Śiva) and seeking fulfilment elsewhere is compared to chasing desert-water—appearing promising but failing to satisfy the soul’s longing for liberation.

In Śaiva Siddhānta-oriented reading, worship of Śiva (often through the Liṅga as saguna support) is not separate from honoring Śakti; abandoning Devī implies abandoning Śiva’s own power of revelation and grace. The verse reinforces the integrated Śiva–Śakti framework behind effective worship.

The practical takeaway is steadiness (niṣṭhā) in one’s chosen Śiva–Śakti devotion: maintain regular pūjā, japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and inner remembrance without scattering faith among “separate” objects of worship for worldly gratification.

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