Shloka 446

मेना-शिवदर्शन-प्रस्थानम् | Menā’s Quest to Behold Śiva

Departure for Śiva’s Darśana

Devanagari script

अद्भुतात्मागणास्तात मेनागर्वापहारकाः । आत्मानं दर्शयन् मायानिर्लिप्तं निर्विकारकम्

Transliteration

adbhutātmāgaṇāstāta menāgarvāpahārakāḥ | ātmānaṃ darśayan māyānirliptaṃ nirvikārakam

Translation

Ô cher enfant, ces merveilleuses cohortes d’êtres spirituels—qui ôtent à Menā son orgueil—révélèrent leur vraie nature : le Soi, demeurant sans tache de Māyā et totalement exempt de changement.

Word by Word

• अद्भुतात्मागणाः: groups of wondrous-souled (beings)
• अद्भुतात्मागणाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्भुत + आत्मन् + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषसमासः (अद्भुताः आत्मानः येषां ते/अद्भुतात्मानः; तेषां गणाः)

• तात: O dear (one)
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• मेना: of Menā
• मेना: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• गर्व: pride
• गर्व: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• अपहारकाः: removers (of)
• अपहारकाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप + हृ (धातु) → अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मेना-गर्वस्य अपहारकाः = removers of Menā’s pride)

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• दर्शयन्: showing
• दर्शयन्: कर्ता (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन/बहुवचन-प्रयोगः (here agreeing with plural sense: ‘showing’); causative sense from √दृश् → दर्शय (णिच्)

• माया: by/through māyā
• माया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• निर्लिप्तम्: unstained/unattached
• निर्लिप्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; आत्मानम्-विशेषण

• निर्विकारकम्: unchanging
• निर्विकारकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (निर्विकारः एव = without change)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Menā

FAQs

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

It teaches that true spiritual realization is to know the Self (and ultimately Shiva as Pati) as changeless and unstained by Māyā; pride (garva) falls away when one beholds this higher reality.

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

Linga-worship begins with saguna devotion (form, ritual, mantra) and matures into insight that Shiva’s essence is nirvikāra and māyā-nirlipta; the Linga becomes a doorway from visible symbol to formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate after japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) on Shiva as nirvikāra and untouched by Māyā; let the practice dissolve ego-pride, supported by simple Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and inner detachment.