Shiva Purana: Uma Samhita, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 27

पुराणविदः महिमा तथा अध्ययन-अध्यापन-दानफलम्

The Glory of the Purāṇa-Knower and the Fruits of Study, Teaching, and Giving

Devanagari script

यदि प्रतिदिनं श्रोतुमशक्तो मानवो भवेत् । पुण्यमासादिषु मुने शृणुयाच्छांकरीं कथाम्

Recitation with translationShiva Purana 5.13.27

Transliteration

yadi pratidinaṃ śrotumaśakto mānavo bhavet | puṇyamāsādiṣu mune śṛṇuyācchāṃkarīṃ kathām

Translation

अगर रोज़ सुनना मुश्किल है, तो टेंशन मत लो। मुनि, पुण्य वाले महीनों में ही सही। शंकर की कथा कभी-कभी सुन लो, वो भी काफी है।

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Word by Word

• yadi: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Conditional conjunction (शर्त-सम्बन्धक-अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)

• prati-dinam: daily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Form: Avyayībhāva adverb (अव्ययीभाव)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal modifier)
• Compound: Avyayibhava
• Root: prati (अव्यय) + dina (प्रातिपदिक)

• śrotum: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)

• aśaktaḥ: unable
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Root: a-śakta (प्रातिपदिक)

• mānavaḥ: a man, human
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)

• bhavet: should be
• Type: Verb
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)

• puṇya-māsa-ādiṣu: in auspicious months and the like
• Type: Noun
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष) ‘in auspicious months etc.’; Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Compound: Tatpurusha
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)

• mune: O sage
• Type: Noun
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)

• śṛṇuyāt: should listen
• Type: Verb
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)

• śāṃkarīm: pertaining to Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Type: Adjective
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with कथाम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Root: śāṃkarī (प्रातिपदिक)

• kathām: story, discourse
• Type: Noun
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• श्रोतुमशक्तो = श्रोतुम् + अशक्तः
• शृणुयाच्छांकरीं = शृणुयात् + शांकरīm (त् + श् → च्छ् sandhi)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Who Speaks

Speaker

Sūta

Addressed to

Śaunaka (mune)

Present

SūtaŚaunakaṚṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya

The scene

Sūta accommodates human limitation, offering a graded vow-like alternative tied to sacred calendrical time.

Shaiva Theology

Form of Shiva

Mahādeva

Divine act

Anugraha (grace)

Tattva

Pashu (the bound soul)

School

Shaiva Siddhanta

Jyotirlinga and Pilgrimage

Mantra and Meter

Verse Rasa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śravaṇa (devotional listening) to Śiva-kathā is a powerful sādhana; even if daily practice is not possible, hearing during auspicious periods sustains devotion and purifies the mind toward Shiva-realization.

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

Śaṅkara-kathā supports Saguna upāsanā by keeping the devotee’s awareness fixed on Shiva’s compassionate forms and līlās, which naturally matures into steadiness in Linga-worship and reverence for Shiva as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical instruction is to schedule Shiva-kathā śravaṇa in puṇya-māsa and festival times (e.g., Mahāśivarātri), ideally alongside simple Shiva devotion such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and respectful observances.