Shloka 21

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

Account of Sarasvatī’s Manifestation and the Humbling of the Devas

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे तत्र निर्व्याजकरुणातनुः । तेषामनुग्रहं कर्तुं हर्तुं गर्वं शिवांगना

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare tatra nirvyājakaruṇātanuḥ | teṣāmanugrahaṃ kartuṃ hartuṃ garvaṃ śivāṃganā

Translation

Just then, the consort of Śiva—whose very form is unfeigned compassion—appeared there, intending to bestow grace upon them and to remove their pride.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• अन्तरे: in the interval
• अन्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa—place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• निर्व्याजकरुणातनुः: she whose form is unfeigned compassion
• निर्व्याजकरुणातनुः: कर्ता (Kartā/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्व्याज-करुणा-तनु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive): निर्व्याजा करुणा यस्याः सा (she whose compassion is without pretext); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine; generic), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• अनुग्रहम्: favor, grace
• अनुग्रहम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose infinitive)

• हर्तुम्: to remove
• हर्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose infinitive)

• गर्वम्: pride
• गर्वम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• शिवाङ्गना: Śiva’s consort
• शिवाङ्गना: कर्ता (Kartā/subject; apposition to निर्व्याजकरुणातनुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa): शिवस्य अङ्गना (Śiva's woman/consort); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights anugraha (divine grace) as the decisive force: Umā’s compassion removes garva (ego), the primary inner bond that blocks devotion and liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

It points to Saguna worship where the devotee approaches Śiva with humility; Umā, as Śiva’s śakti, facilitates receptivity to Śiva’s grace—making Linga-upāsanā fruitful by dissolving pride.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice humility before worship: begin japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a prayer for removal of ego, and offer bhakti with a surrendered mind (garva-tyāga) before Linga pūjā.