Shloka 38

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva

Devanagari script

भवद्भिः कल्पितो यो वै विधिस्स्यादधिकस्ततः । भवताञ्चैव कार्य्यं तु भवन्तः कार्य्यभागिनः

Transliteration

bhavadbhiḥ kalpito yo vai vidhissyādadhikastataḥ | bhavatāñcaiva kāryyaṃ tu bhavantaḥ kāryyabhāginaḥ

Translation

നിങ്ങൾ ആവിഷ്കരിച്ച വിധിയാണ് തീർച്ചയായും മറ്റെല്ലാത്തിലും ശ്രേഷ്ഠം. ഈ പ്രവർത്തിയും നിങ്ങളാൽ തന്നെയാകണം, കാരണം നിങ്ങൾ ഈ കർമ്മത്തിന്റെ യഥാർത്ഥ പങ്കാളികളാണ്.

Word by Word

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: कर्ता (agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम (‘you’)

• कल्पितः: arranged/ordained
• कल्पितः: विधेय (predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग

• यः: which
• यः: कर्ता (relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: वाक्यालङ्कार (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• विधिः: rule/ordinance
• विधिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अधिकः: greater, superior
• अधिकः: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण of विधिः

• ततः: than that / therefore
• ततः: अपादान/तुलना (ablatival sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/तुलनाबोधक (from that/therefore/than that)

• भवताम्: of you (all)
• भवताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: certainly/only
• एव: वाक्यालङ्कार (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• कार्य्यम्: the task
• कार्य्यम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: वाक्यसंयोजक (contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक (adversative/contrast particle)

• भवन्तः: you (all)
• भवन्तः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• कार्य्य-भागिनः: participants/sharers in the task
• कार्य्य-भागिनः: विधेय (predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘having a share in the task’)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (inferred, addressing assembled devas/attendants in the Parvati Khanda narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred work (kārya) must be done according to a sound vidhi, and that those involved should accept their rightful share with humility—turning action into Shiva-sevā rather than ego-driven control.

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

Linga/Saguna worship emphasizes correct procedure (vidhi) and collective participation—offering, chanting, and service done in harmony. The verse affirms that devotees and officiants are ‘kārya-bhāginaḥ,’ entitled and responsible to complete Shiva’s worship properly.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow an established Shiva-pūjā vidhi with shared roles—such as coordinated abhiṣeka, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) application, and steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” performed with disciplined cooperation.