Shloka 23

नभगोपाख्यानम्

Nabhaga-Upākhyāna: The Account of Nabhaga and Shiva-Jñāna

Devanagari script

समाप्ते कर्मणि ततो विप्रा आंगिरसाश्च ते । तस्मै दत्त्वा ययुः स्वर्गं स्वंस्वं सत्रावशेषितम्

Transliteration

samāpte karmaṇi tato viprā āṃgirasāśca te | tasmai dattvā yayuḥ svargaṃ svaṃsvaṃ satrāvaśeṣitam

Translation

Le rite achevé, ces sages brāhmaṇas de la lignée des Āṅgirasa, après lui avoir remis les parts restantes de leur session sacrificielle (satra), partirent vers le ciel—chacun vers le monde qu’il avait atteint. Du point de vue śaiva, ce vers souligne qu’un karma dûment accompli et offert avec ordre et révérence conduit à des mondes plus élevés; toutefois, la délivrance ultime s’obtient par la dévotion à Pati (Śiva), au-delà de toute récompense rituelle.

Word by Word

• समाप्ते: when (it was) completed
• समाप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्भव (here with कर्मणि) — Locative Singular; used in locative absolute with कर्मणि

• कर्मणि: in/with the rite (being done)
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् अर्थे (then/thereafter)

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• आङ्गिरसाः: the Āṅgirasas (descendants of Aṅgiras)
• आङ्गिरसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आङ्गिरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; सर्वनाम

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — having given

• ययुः: they went
• ययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person plural

• स्वर्गम्: to heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; विशेषण (possessive)

• स्वम्: each his own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; पुनरुक्ति (each his own)

• सत्र-अवशेषितम्: what remained of the satra (sacrificial session)
• सत्र-अवशेषितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र + अवशेषित (प्रातिपदिक; from अव + शिष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (सत्रे अवशेषितम् = remaining from the sacrificial session)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Angirasa sages
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It highlights dharmic completeness: a rite must be properly concluded and its remnants duly offered. Such well-performed karma grants heavenly merit, while Śaiva teaching ultimately points beyond svarga to devotion to Śiva for liberation.

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

Though the verse speaks of Vedic ritual results, the Shiva Purana frames ritual as most fruitful when oriented toward Saguna Śiva—especially through offerings made with Śiva-bhakti—so that worship matures from merit-seeking to God-centered surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is to complete worship without negligence: conclude rites with proper offerings and respectful giving. In Śaiva practice, this aligns with finishing daily pūjā with mantra-japa (e.g., Panchākṣarī) and a final offering/prasāda distribution in a disciplined way.