Shloka 11

छायापुरुषलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of the Marks of the Shadow-Person

Devanagari script

पादाभावे विदेशस्स्यादित्येतत्कथितं मया । तद्विचार्य्यं प्रयत्त्नेन पुरुषेण महेश्वरि

Transliteration

pādābhāve videśassyādityetatkathitaṃ mayā | tadvicāryyaṃ prayattnena puruṣeṇa maheśvari

Translation

おおマヘーシュヴァリーよ、正しい「拠り所／立つべき場」が欠けると、人は異国にいるかのようになると、わたしは説いた。ゆえに人は、真摯な努力をもってこれを省察すべきである。

Word by Word

• pāda-abhāve: in the absence of feet
• pāda-abhāve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (absence of feet)

• videśaḥ: foreign land / exile
• videśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: videśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• syāt: would be / may occur
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (context: object of ‘kathitam’)

• kathitam: has been stated
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक (said/told)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vicāryam: to be deliberated
• vicāryam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-car (वि+चर् धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (to be considered)

• prayatnena: with effort
• prayatnena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument-means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• puruṣeṇa: by a man/person
• puruṣeṇa: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Agent in gerundive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (agent/one who should do)

• maheśvari: O Maheśvarī
• maheśvari: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames the teaching as upadeśa: reflection (vicāra) and right ‘pāda’ (support/grounding in dharma and Śiva-upāsanā) prevent alienation (videśa) and lead toward Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that without a stable spiritual basis—right understanding, disciplined practice, and devotion to Pati (Śiva)—the soul (paśu) feels ‘alien’ and unsettled, as if exiled; therefore one must reflect and strive steadily toward liberation.

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

Linga-worship provides a concrete ‘support’ (ālambana) for the mind: by honoring Saguna Śiva through the Linga with mantra and devotion, the seeker gains steadiness and avoids the disorientation that comes from practice without grounding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies earnest, consistent sādhanā: daily reflection with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and devotion, so practice rests on a firm foundation.