Shloka 52

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

ऋषिरुवाच । जगत्येकार्णवे जाते शेषमास्तीर्य योगराट् । योगनिद्रामुपाश्रित्य यदा सुष्वाप केशवः

Transliteration

ṛṣiruvāca | jagatyekārṇave jāte śeṣamāstīrya yogarāṭ | yoganidrāmupāśritya yadā suṣvāpa keśavaḥ

Translation

ઋષિ બોલ્યા— જ્યારે સમગ્ર જગત એક જ મહાસાગર બની ગયું, ત્યારે યોગીઓના અધિરાજ કેશવે શેષને શય્યા બનાવી, યોગનિદ્રાનો આશ્રય લઈને ગાઢ નિદ્રામાં શયન કર્યું।

Word by Word

• ऋषिः: the sage
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• एकार्णवे: in the single ocean (cosmic ocean)
• एकार्णवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—एकः अर्णवः (कर्मधारय)

• जाते: when (it) had become
• जाते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when/after it had become’

• शेषम्: Śeṣa (the serpent)
• शेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आस्तीर्य: having spread (as a couch)
• आस्तीर्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/त्वान्त), ‘having spread/laid out’

• योगराट्: the king of yogins (great yogi)
• योगराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + राज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—योगस्य राट्/राजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• योगनिद्राम्: yogic sleep
• योगनिद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—योगस्य निद्रा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उपाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• उपाश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having resorted to/taken refuge in’

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal conjunction/adverb)

• सुष्वाप: slept
• सुष्वाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘slept’

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

A sage (Rishi narrator within the Uma Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya imagery: world becomes ekārṇava; deity in yoganidrā

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shesha

FAQs

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

It sets the pralaya (dissolution) backdrop: even cosmic powers rest within yogic stillness, while the Shiva Purana frames the Supreme Pati (Shiva) as the ultimate ground beyond cycles of creation and withdrawal.

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

By depicting cosmic dissolution, the text prepares the listener to seek an unshakable refuge; in Shaiva Siddhanta this points to worship of Shiva—often through the Linga—as the stable, compassionate Lord who grants grace beyond changing universes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is yogic recollection (dhyāna) on stillness during dissolution—supported by Shaiva practice such as japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” with a mind resting like yoganidrā yet oriented to Shiva.