Shloka 66

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

ऋषिरुवाच । ब्रह्मणा प्रार्थिता सेयं मधुकैटभनाशने । महाविद्याजगद्धात्री सर्वविद्याधिदेवता

Transliteration

ṛṣiruvāca | brahmaṇā prārthitā seyaṃ madhukaiṭabhanāśane | mahāvidyājagaddhātrī sarvavidyādhidevatā

Translation

The sage said: “O slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, this Goddess was invoked by Brahmā. She is Mahāvidyā, the sustainer of the worlds, and the presiding divinity over all forms of knowledge.”

Word by Word

• ṛṣiḥ: the sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• prārthitā: requested, entreated
• prārthitā: Kriyā-sāmānādhikaraṇya (क्रिया-सामानाधिकरण/Predicative state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-arth (धातु) + ta (क्त) → prārthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: PPP (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; passive predicate: 'was requested' (with subject seyam)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• iyam: this (one)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular; appositional with sā

• madhu-kaiṭabha-nāśane: in the (act of) destroying Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• madhu-kaiṭabha-nāśane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + kaiṭabha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'in/at the slaying of Madhu and Kaiṭabha' (contextual locative)

• mahā-vidyā-jagat-dhātrī: the Great Vidyā, sustainer of the world
• mahā-vidyā-jagat-dhātrī: Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधान-नाम/Predicate/appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa: 'great-knowledge' + 'world-supporter' (jagat-dhātrī = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) used as epithet

• sarva-vidyā-adhi-devatā: presiding goddess of all sciences/knowledges
• sarva-vidyā-adhi-devatā: Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधान-नाम/Predicate/appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhi (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'presiding deity over all knowledges' (adhi-devatā) with sarva-vidyā as determinative

Speaker

Rishi (sage narrator in the Umāsaṃhitā dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ऋषिरुवाच । ब्रह्मणा प्रार्थिता सेयं मधुकैटभनाशने । महाविद्याजगद्धात्री सर्वविद्याधिदेवता

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Mahavidya (Devi)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Goddess as Mahāvidyā—the divine power of knowledge that sustains the cosmos and grants liberating insight, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta where true vidyā arises through grace and leads the bound soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

By praising Devi as the presiding deity of all knowledge, the verse supports Shiva Purana’s Shiva–Shakti unity: worship of the Liṅga (Saguna Shiva) is fulfilled through Shakti’s grace, which ripens devotion into right knowledge and realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Seek vidyā through Shiva–Shakti upāsanā: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a prayer for right understanding, ideally accompanied by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and steady dhyāna on Shiva as Pati.