Shloka 12

पुराणश्रवणप्रस्तावः

Prologue to the Recitation of the Śaiva Purāṇa

Devanagari script

एष देवो महादेवः सर्वज्ञो जगदीश्वरः । अयं तु परया भक्त्या दृश्यते नाऽन्यथा क्वचित्

Transliteration

eṣa devo mahādevaḥ sarvajño jagadīśvaraḥ | ayaṃ tu parayā bhaktyā dṛśyate nā'nyathā kvacit

Translation

This Deva is Mahādeva—omniscient, the Lord of the universe. He is beheld only through supreme devotion; in no other way is He seen at any time.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• देवः: god
• देवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• महादेवः: Mahādeva; the great god
• महादेवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya 'great (as) god'

• सर्वज्ञः: omniscient
• सर्वज्ञः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa 'knower of all'

• जगत्-ईश्वरः: Lord of the world
• जगत्-ईश्वरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa 'lord of the world'

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) expressing contrast/emphasis

• परया: by supreme
• परया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; agrees with भक्त्या

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• दृश्यते: is seen; is perceived
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada; passive sense 'is seen'

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• क्वचित्: anywhere; ever
• क्वचित्: Desha/Kaala-adhikarana (देश/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; indeclinable adverb of place/time (देश/काल)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha is classically ‘seen’ (dṛśyate) through bhakti and grace rather than mere disputation or intellectual reach; Kāśī traditions emphasize Śiva’s anugraha as the direct means to liberation and true darśana.

Significance: Promises that true darśana of Mahādeva arises from parā-bhakti; pilgrimage becomes efficacious when coupled with inner surrender, leading toward mokṣa and removal of pāśa (bondage).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: eṣa devo mahādevaḥ sarvajño jagadīśvaraḥ | ayaṃ tu parayā bhaktyā dṛśyate nā'nyathā kvacit

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Shiva (Pati), the omniscient Lord of all, is not merely an object of intellectual grasp but is truly realized through parā-bhakti—total, purified devotion that culminates in Shiva-darśana and liberation.

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

In the Vidyeśvara context, the Linga and other saguna forms serve as compassionate supports for devotion; through wholehearted bhakti offered to Shiva’s worshipful form, the devotee attains the direct vision/realization of Mahadeva indicated here.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate parā-bhakti by steady Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), daily Linga-pūjā with purity and surrender, and inward contemplation that seeks Shiva not as theory but as living presence.