Shloka 78

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

तावकस्त्वद्गतप्राणस्त्वच्चित्तोऽहं सदा मृड । कृपानिधे इति ज्ञात्वा यथा योग्यं तथा कुरु

Transliteration

tāvakastvadgataprāṇastvaccitto'haṃ sadā mṛḍa | kṛpānidhe iti jñātvā yathā yogyaṃ tathā kuru

Translation

ഹേ മൃഡാ! ഞാൻ നിന്റേതു മാത്രം; എന്റെ പ്രാണൻ നിനക്കുള്ളിൽ തന്നെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു, എന്റെ ചിത്തം സദാ നിനക്കിൽ തന്നെ നിശ്ചലമാണ്. ഹേ കൃപാനിധേ! ഇത് അറിഞ്ഞ് എനിക്കു യോജിച്ചതെല്ലാം ചെയ്യുക.

Word by Word

• तावकः: your own (servant/devotee)
• तावकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्वाम्यर्थक (belonging to you/your servant)

• त्वत्-गत-प्राणः: whose life is devoted to you
• त्वत्-गत-प्राणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त; √गम्) + prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: त्वयि गताः प्राणाः यस्य (whose life-breath has gone to you)

• त्वत्-चित्तः: mind fixed on you
• त्वत्-चित्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: त्वयि चित्तं यस्य (mind fixed on you)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मृड: O Mṛḍa (Śiva)
• मृड: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• कृपा-निधे: O treasure of compassion
• कृपा-निधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कृपायाः निधिः (treasure of compassion)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having known/considered’

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/according to)

• योग्यम्: what is proper
• योग्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘appropriate’ (object of implied ‘do’)

• तथा: so
• तथा: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (so/in that manner)

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee addressing Lord Shiva (as narrated within Suta Goswami’s Shiva Purana discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models śaraṇāgati (self-surrender): the paśu confesses total dependence (prāṇa and citta fixed in Śiva), invoking Śiva’s compassion as the basis for liberating grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: तावकस्त्वद्गतप्राणस्त्वच्चित्तोऽहं सदा मृड । कृपानिधे इति ज्ञात्वा यथा योग्यं तथा कुरु

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It expresses śaraṇāgati—total refuge in Śiva—where prāṇa (life-force) and citta (mind) are offered to Pati (the Lord). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the soul (paśu) turns from bondage (pāśa) and entrusts itself to Śiva’s grace (anugraha), accepting whatever He deems spiritually beneficial.

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

The devotee’s single-pointed fixation on Śiva aligns with saguna-upāsanā—approaching Śiva through accessible forms such as the Śiva-liṅga and sacred names. Such worship matures into inner surrender, where the devotee seeks not personal preference but Śiva’s fitting dispensation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is japa and remembrance with surrender: repeat the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while offering prāṇa and mind to Śiva, and conclude prayerfully with acceptance—“Do as You deem fit.” If observing Mahāśivarātri, support it with liṅga-abhiṣeka, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and steady mantra-japa.