Shloka 3

विष्णुचक्रलाभो नाम (अर्धनारीश्वर-तत्त्वं, सती-पार्वती-सम्भवः, दक्षयज्ञविनाशः)

Devanagari script

कल्याणं वा कथं तस्य वक्तुमर्हसि सांप्रतम् तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः

Transliteration

kalyāṇaṃ vā kathaṃ tasya vaktumarhasi sāṃpratam teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sūtaḥ paurāṇikottamaḥ

Translation

“അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഈ സമയത്ത് അവന്റെ ക്ഷേമം നീ എങ്ങനെ യഥാർത്ഥമായി പറയാൻ യോഗ്യനാകും?” ഋഷികളുടെ ആ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട് പുരാണജ്ഞന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ സൂതൻ മറുപടി പറയാൻ ഒരുങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• कल्याणम्: welfare, auspicious good

• वा: or

• कथम्: how

• तस्य: of him/that one

• वक्तुम्: to speak

• अर्हसि: you are fit/you ought

• सांप्रतम्: now, at present

• तेषाम्: of them (the sages)

• तद्वचनम्: those words/speech

• श्रुत्वा: having heard

• सूतः: Sūta

• पौराणिक-उत्तमः: the best among Purāṇic narrators/authorities

Speaker

Sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (addressing Sūta), with Sūta as the narrative respondent

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Sages

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It functions as a dialogue-turning cue: the sages’ question prompts Sūta to unfold the next doctrinal and narrative section, through which the Purāṇa later grounds auspiciousness (kalyāṇa) in devotion to Pati (Śiva) and Linga-upāsanā.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it frames “welfare/auspiciousness” as something that must be spoken with authority and right context—setting up the Purāṇic teaching that true kalyāṇa for the pashu (bound soul) arises by Śiva’s grace, who is Pati beyond pasha (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific rite is prescribed in this verse; it introduces Sūta’s authoritative response, which in the Linga Purāṇa typically leads into Shiva-dharma themes such as Linga-pūjā and Pāśupata-oriented disciplines.