Shloka 1

Devīkṛta-praśna-varṇana (Description of the Goddess’s Questions) / देवीकृतप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । साधु पृष्टमिदं विप्रा भवद्भिर्भाग्यवत्तमैः । दुर्लभं हि शिवज्ञानं प्रणवार्थप्रकाशकम्

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | sādhu pṛṣṭamidaṃ viprā bhavadbhirbhāgyavattamaiḥ | durlabhaṃ hi śivajñānaṃ praṇavārthaprakāśakam

Translation

ວະຍາສະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣາຫມັນທັງຫຼາຍ ຜູ້ເປັນຜູ້ມີວາສະນາສູງສຸດໃນມະນຸດ, ທ່ານຖາມໄດ້ດີແທ້. ເພາະຄວາມຮູ້ແຫ່ງພຣະສິວະນັ້ນຫາຍາກ, ແລະມັນເປັນຜູ້ເປີດແຈ້ງຄວາມໝາຍແທ້ຂອງ ປຣະນະວະ (ໂອມ)»

Word by Word

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sādhu: well / good
• sādhu: Sambandha/Prayojaka (सम्बन्ध/भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक/avyaya usage)
• Form: Avyaya; particle/adverb of approval (प्रशंसाव्यय)

• pṛṣṭam: asked
• pṛṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṛcch (धातु) → pṛṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with idam

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• viprāḥ: O brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhāgyavattamaiḥ: (by) the most fortunate
• bhāgyavattamaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāgyavat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); superlative (तमप्): 'most fortunate' qualifying bhavadbhiḥ

• durlabham: rare / hard to obtain
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective for śivajñānam

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• śiva-jñānam: knowledge of Śiva
• śiva-jñānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• praṇava-artha-prakāśakam: revealing the meaning of Oṃ
• praṇava-artha-prakāśakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + prakāśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying śivajñānam: 'that which illuminates the meaning of praṇava (Oṃ)'

Speaker

Vyasa

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Praṇava (Om)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that true Śiva-jñāna is rare and precious, and that it alone clarifies the deepest import of Oṃ—pointing the seeker toward liberation through right understanding of Pati (Śiva) and His grace.

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

By praising the inquiry into Śiva-jñāna, the verse supports devotion and contemplation that begin with accessible Saguna worship (such as the Liṅga) and mature into inner realization that reveals the meaning of Praṇava.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditative japa of Praṇava (Oṃ) with Śiva-bhāva is implied—approaching Oṃ not merely as sound, but as a gateway to Śiva-jñāna; this is commonly paired in Shaiva practice with mantra-japa and disciplined contemplation.