Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । शृणुतं मे महादेव गणा मान्यतमौ सताम् । वचनं सुखदं मोहनिर्मुक्तं च यथार्थकम्

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | śṛṇutaṃ me mahādeva gaṇā mānyatamau satām | vacanaṃ sukhadaṃ mohanirmuktaṃ ca yathārthakam

Translation

Nārada dit : «Ô Mahādeva, écoute mes paroles—ô Gaṇas, les plus honorés parmi les vertueux. Cette parole donne la béatitude, est affranchie de l’illusion et s’accorde parfaitement à la vérité.»

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणुतम्: listen (you two)
• शृणुतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) एकवचन (enclitic genitive)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• गणौ: O two gaṇas
• गणौ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), द्विवचन (addressing two gaṇas)

• मान्यतमौ: most honored (you two)
• मान्यतमौ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्यतम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), द्विवचन; अतिशय-विशेषण (superlative)

• सताम्: of the virtuous
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'of the good/virtuous'

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सुखदम्: giving happiness
• सुखदम्: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies वचनम्)

• मोह-निर्मुक्तम्: free from delusion
• मोह-निर्मुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मुक्त (कृदन्त, √मुच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (free from delusion)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथार्थकम्: true/according to reality
• यथार्थकम्: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथार्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies वचनम्)

Speaker

Narada

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It frames dharmic speech as a spiritual discipline: words offered before Mahādeva should be truthful (yathārtha), beneficial (sukhada), and free from delusion (moha), aligning the devotee’s mind with Śiva as Pati (the Lord of consciousness).

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

By addressing Mahādeva directly, the verse models Saguna devotion—approaching Śiva with reverent, purified intention. In Linga-worship, such moha-free, truth-aligned speech supports inner purity (śuddhi) that makes external worship fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice ‘satya-vāk’ (truthful, non-delusive speech) as a vrata alongside japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so the mind becomes steady and less driven by moha during worship.