Shloka 33

पितृसर्ग-श्राद्धमाहात्म्य-प्रश्नः

Pitṛ-sarga and the Greatness of Śrāddha: The Inquiry

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच । शृणु राजन्मया दृष्टं कदाचित्पश्यता दिवम् । विमानं महादायांतमन्तरेण गिरेस्तदा

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | śṛṇu rājanmayā dṛṣṭaṃ kadācitpaśyatā divam | vimānaṃ mahādāyāṃtamantareṇa girestadā

Translation

ಮಾರ್ಕಂಡೇಯನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಹೇ ರಾಜನೇ, ಕೇಳು; ಒಮ್ಮೆ ನಾನು ಆಕಾಶವನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಕಂಡದ್ದನ್ನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಆಗ ಪರ್ವತಗಳ ಮಧ್ಯದ ಅಂತರಾಳದಿಂದ ಒಂದು ಮಹಾ ವಿಮಾನವು ಬರುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• दृष्टम्: seen (thing)
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण—‘what was seen’

• कदाचित्: once/sometime
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• पश्यता: by (me) seeing / while I was seeing
• पश्यता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘मया’ इत्यस्य विशेषण—‘while seeing’

• दिवम्: the sky/heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• विमानम्: a celestial chariot
• विमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• महादायान्तम्: greatly approaching / greatly bestowing (as describing the chariot)
• महादायान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिन्/दाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त/विशेषण (शतृ-रूप/वर्तमान-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘विमानम्’ इति विशेषण; महत् दायं ददाति/आयाति इति भावः (पाठभेदसम्भव)

• अन्तरेण: between/without
• अन्तरेण: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरेण (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय; तृतीया/पञ्चमी-अर्थे—‘without/between’

• गिरेः: of/from the mountain
• गिरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन (अथवा पञ्चमी एकवचन—पाठार्थानुसार); ‘of/from the mountain’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Markandeya

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Markandeya

FAQs

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

The verse highlights purified perception (śuddha-darśana): a sage’s vision of the higher worlds suggests that spiritual discipline and Shiva’s grace refine awareness, allowing glimpses of subtler realities beyond ordinary sense-experience.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, the narrative tone of the Umāsaṃhitā frames extraordinary events as unfolding under Pati (Shiva) who governs both manifest (saguṇa) signs and transcendent order; such “heavenly” manifestations are understood as occurring within Shiva’s cosmic sovereignty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies dhyāna (steady contemplation) and inner purity: regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with disciplined worship (pūjā) and vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as Shaiva reminders, is traditionally taught to stabilize the mind for higher insight.