Shloka 4

मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Description of the Sages’ Questions

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । जगतः पितरं शम्भुञ्जगतो मातरं शिवाम् । तत्पुत्रश्च गणाधीशन्नत्वैतद्वर्णयामहे

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | jagataḥ pitaraṃ śambhuñjagato mātaraṃ śivām | tatputraśca gaṇādhīśannatvaitadvarṇayāmahe

Translation

Vyāsa dit : Après nous être prosternés devant Śambhu, Père de l’univers, devant Śivā, Mère de l’univers, et devant leur fils Gaṇādhiśa, Seigneur des Gaṇa, nous allons maintenant exposer ce récit sacré.

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu
• शम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवाम्: Śivā (Pārvatī)
• शिवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्पुत्रः: their son
• तत्पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य पुत्रः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गणाधीशम्: lord of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• गणाधीशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणानाम् अधीशः)

• नत्वा: having bowed to
• नत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having bowed’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वर्णयामहे: we describe
• वर्णयामहे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु; denom. from वर्ण)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: jagataḥ pitaraṃ śambhuṃ jagato mātaraṃ śivām | tat-putraś ca gaṇādhīśaṃ natvā etad varṇayāmahe ||

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic orientation: Śiva-Śakti as universal parents; Gaṇeśa invoked as remover of obstacles to narration.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It establishes an auspicious commencement (maṅgala) by saluting Pati (Śiva), Śakti (Śivā), and their son Gaṇeśa, affirming that the universe is sustained through Śiva-Śakti and that sacred knowledge should be approached with humility and devotion.

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

By praising Śambhu as the Father of the world, the verse points to Saguna devotion—approaching the Supreme through a gracious, worshipful form (including the Liṅga as His emblem) before entering deeper teachings and narratives.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin any recitation or pūjā with salutations to Śiva and Śakti and an invocation of Gaṇeśa (vighna-śānti), then proceed with mantra-japa such as the pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” in a focused, reverent mind.