Shloka 23

प्रकृतितत्त्व-विचारः / Inquiry into Prakṛti (Nature/Śakti) and Śiva’s Transcendence

Devanagari script

श्रीशिव उवाच । इत्येवं त्वं यदि ब्रूषे गिरिजे सांख्यधारिणी । प्रत्यहं कुरु मे सेवामनिषिद्धां सुभाषिणि

Transliteration

śrīśiva uvāca | ityevaṃ tvaṃ yadi brūṣe girije sāṃkhyadhāriṇī | pratyahaṃ kuru me sevāmaniṣiddhāṃ subhāṣiṇi

Translation

聖なるシヴァは仰せになった。「おおギリジャーよ、サーンキヤの分別智を保つ者よ。もしそれがまことに汝の宣言ならば、甘き言葉の者よ、日々わたしに奉仕せよ――正しく、禁ぜられぬ奉仕を。」

Word by Word

• श्रीशिवः: Auspicious Śiva
• श्रीशिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (श्रीः + शिवः)

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• ब्रूषे: you say
• ब्रूषे: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गिरिजे: O Girijā (daughter of the mountain)
• गिरिजे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सांख्यधारिणि: O bearer of Sāṃkhya (doctrine)
• सांख्यधारिणि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य-धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सांख्यस्य धारिणी)

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-अहम् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)

• सेवाम्: service
• सेवाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनिषिद्धाम्: not forbidden
• अनिषिद्धाम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिषिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सेवाम्)

• सुभाषिणि: O sweet-speaker
• सुभाषिणि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभाषिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (सु भाषते इति)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes that true devotion is verified through steady daily seva to Śiva, guided by discernment (sāṃkhya)—a Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned balance of right understanding and committed practice.

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

“Daily service” naturally points to regular Saguna worship—such as attending to Śiva through pūjā of the Liṅga with authorized offerings—showing that disciplined outer worship can mature the seeker toward inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nitya-pūjā (daily worship): offer water, bilva leaves, and recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a form of permissible, scripturally grounded seva.