Shloka 57

शिवपुराण-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Śiva Purāṇa) / Śivapurāṇa Māhātmya

Devanagari script

शिवे संकल्पितं पूर्वं पुराणं ग्रन्थसंख्यया । शतकोटिप्रमाणं हि पुरा सृष्टौ सुविस्मृतम्

Transliteration

śive saṃkalpitaṃ pūrvaṃ purāṇaṃ granthasaṃkhyayā | śatakoṭipramāṇaṃ hi purā sṛṣṭau suvismṛtam

Translation

Formerly, O Śivā (Pārvatī), this Purāṇa was first conceived by Śiva in the measure of its many sections; indeed, in the ancient creation it extended to a hundred crores (of verses), but later it became greatly forgotten.

Word by Word

• शिवे: in/with Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• संकल्पितम्: conceived/compiled (planned)
• संकल्पितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + कल्प् (धातु) → संकल्पित (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘पुराणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (formerly/earlier)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ग्रन्थ-संख्यया: by (its) count of books/chapters
• ग्रन्थ-संख्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रन्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ग्रन्थानां संख्या)

• शत-कोटि-प्रमाणम्: of the measure of a hundred crores
• शत-कोटि-प्रमाणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शतकोटिः प्रमाणं यस्य/शतकोटिप्रमाण)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (in ancient times)

• सृष्टौ: at creation
• सृष्टौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सु-विस्मृतम्: well-forgotten/utterly forgotten
• सु-विस्मृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वि + स्मृ (धातु) → विस्मृत (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘पुराणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘सु’ = अत्यर्थे

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific sthala; the verse frames the Śiva Purāṇa as originally ‘conceived’ by Śiva in primordial creation and later partially forgotten, a common purāṇic transmission motif.

Significance: Hearing/remembering the Śaiva revelation is implied as a recovery of lost dharma and a means to re-enter right knowledge (śiva-jñāna).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Primordial creation (sṛṣṭi) alluded to; loss/forgetting across yugas implied.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents the Shiva Purana as a revelation rooted in Śiva’s own intent, while acknowledging that sacred knowledge can diminish across cycles of creation—urging devotees to preserve, study, and live its Shaiva teachings for liberation.

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

By grounding the Purana’s authority in Śiva’s original conception, it supports the reliability of its teachings on Saguna worship—especially devotion to Śiva as Liṅga—while pointing beyond loss of texts to the enduring reality of Pati (Śiva) accessible through bhakti and right practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is scriptural remembrance (śravaṇa and svādhyāya): regularly hear/recite Shaiva passages and sustain daily Śiva-upāsanā—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so the teaching is not ‘forgotten’ in one’s own life.