Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कुतो वै श्राद्धदेवत्वमादित्यस्य विवस्वतः । श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्प्रीत्या छिंधि मे संशयं त्विमम्

Transliteration

kuto vai śrāddhadevatvamādityasya vivasvataḥ | śrotumicchāmi tatprītyā chiṃdhi me saṃśayaṃ tvimam

Translation

ವಿವಸ್ವಾನ್ ಆದಿತ್ಯನು ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧದೇವತ್ವವನ್ನು ಯಾವ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದ ಪಡೆದನು? ಅದನ್ನು ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಕೇಳಲು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ; ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ನನ್ನ ಈ ಸಂಶಯವನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸು.

Word by Word

• कुतः: from where/why
• कुतः: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative: whence/why)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• श्राद्धदेवत्वम्: the status of being śrāddha-deity
• श्राद्धदेवत्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धदेवत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व abstract)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदित्यस्य: of Āditya (the Sun)
• आदित्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• विवस्वतः: of Vivasvat
• विवस्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; समास-पूर्वपद

• प्रीत्या: with devotion/for the sake of pleasing
• प्रीत्या: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (as cause/means)

• छिन्धि: cut/remove
• छिन्धि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संशयम् विशेषण (demonstrative)

Speaker

A disciple-like interlocutor (traditionally a sage/devotee) addressing the narrator/teacher in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vivasvan
• Aditya

FAQs

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

The verse models the Shaiva approach of śraddhā (reverent inquiry): doubts are not suppressed but offered to a competent teacher, so that ritual practice (like śrāddha) becomes aligned with right understanding and inner purity.

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

Although the verse asks about the Sun’s role in śrāddha, its deeper Shaiva frame is that all authorized devatā-functions operate under the Lord’s governance; knowing the origin and purpose of such roles supports disciplined, sattvic worship that culminates in devotion to Pati (Śiva) as the supreme refuge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a key practice: perform śrāddha and other rites with informed faith—seeking scriptural clarity from a teacher—so that external ritual is joined to inner intention (bhāva) and becomes spiritually fruitful.