Shloka 97

Vyāsotpatti-kathana

Account of the Birth/Origin of Vyāsa

Devanagari script

करुणापारपाथोधिं भक्तवत्सलनामकम् । आशुतोषमुमाकान्तं प्रसादसुमुखं हरम्

Transliteration

karuṇāpārapāthodhiṃ bhaktavatsalanāmakam | āśutoṣamumākāntaṃ prasādasumukhaṃ haram

Translation

ನಾನು ಹರನನ್ನು ಭಜಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ—ಕರುಣೆಗೆ ತೀರವಿಲ್ಲದ ಸಾಗರ, ‘ಭಕ್ತವತ್ಸಲ’ ಎಂದು ಖ್ಯಾತ; ಆಶುತೋಷ, ಉಮಾಕಾಂತ, ಪ್ರಸಾದದಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸದಾ ಪ್ರಸನ್ನಮುಖ।

Word by Word

• karuṇā-pāra-pāthodhim: ocean whose far shore is compassion (ocean of compassion)
• karuṇā-pāra-pāthodhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karuṇā (करुणा प्रातिपदिक) + pāra (पार प्रातिपदिक) + pāthodhi (पाथोधि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. masc.)

• bhakta-vatsala-nāmakam: named ‘lover of devotees’
• bhakta-vatsala-nāmakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (भक्त प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (वत्सल प्रातिपदिक) + nāmaka (नामक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. neut.), विशेषणम्

• āśu-toṣam: easily pleased
• āśu-toṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśu (आशु अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + toṣa (तोष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. masc.), विशेषणम्

• umā-kāntam: beloved of Umā
• umā-kāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (उमा प्रातिपदिक) + kānta (कान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः—षष्ठी); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. masc.)

• prasāda-su-mukham: with a gracious/benign face
• prasāda-su-mukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasāda (प्रसाद प्रातिपदिक) + su (सु अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + mukha (मुख प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. masc.), विशेषणम्

• haram: Hara (Śiva)
• haram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (हर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg. masc.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Umāsaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: karuṇāpārapāthodhiṃ bhaktavatsalanāmakam | āśutoṣamumākāntaṃ prasādasumukhaṃ haram

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva (Pati) as the limitless ocean of compassion whose grace (prasāda) is quickly obtained through sincere bhakti—highlighting the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on divine grace as the liberating power.

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

The verse praises Shiva through accessible Saguna epithets—Ashutosha, Umākānta, Bhaktavatsala—supporting devotional worship of the Linga as the compassionate, responsive Lord who bestows prasāda upon devotees.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on Shiva’s names—especially “Ashutosha,” “Bhaktavatsala,” and “Hara”—along with steady Panchakshara remembrance (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a bhakti-based approach to receiving prasāda.