Shloka 8

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य हिमाद्रेश्शङ्करस्तदा । सुमुखाविमुखः सद्योऽप्यशोच्यः शोच्यतां गतः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya himādreśśaṅkarastadā | sumukhāvimukhaḥ sadyo'pyaśocyaḥ śocyatāṃ gataḥ

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—അവളുടെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ ഹിമാലയത്തിൽ വസിച്ച ശങ്കരൻ ഉടൻ സുമുഖയോട് വിമുഖനായി; സ്വഭാവത്തിൽ ശോകാതീതനായിട്ടും, ക്ഷണത്തിൽ കരുണാർഹമായ നിലയിലേക്കു, ശോകിക്കുന്നവനെപ്പോലെ, എത്തി.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उक्तिसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु) → आकर्ण्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), “having heard” — Absolutive

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Genitive singular (pronoun)

• हिमाद्रेः: of Himādri (Himālaya)
• हिमाद्रेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमाद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive singular

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• सु-मुख-अविमुखः: not turned away from the fair-faced one (i.e., from Pārvatī)
• सु-मुख-अविमुखः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अविमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्मिन् सुमुखे अविमुखता अस्ति / सुमुखात् न विमुखः) — Masculine, Nominative singular

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (immediately)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (even/also)

• अशोच्यः: not to be lamented / not pitiable
• अशोच्यः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + शोच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negated adjective)

• शोच्यताम्: to a lamentable state
• शोच्यताम्: Gati/Parinama (गति/परिणाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (भाववाचक), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन/एकवचन-समूहार्थ (शोच्यताम् = “state of being lamentable”, genitive plural used idiomatically) — “into the condition of being lamentable” (idiom)

• गतः: became / went
• गतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) used as finite sense; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “having gone/became”

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a shrine account; it depicts Śiva’s deliberate assumption of a ‘grieved/compassion-inviting’ demeanor—an enacted concealment that prepares a didactic or revelatory turn.

Significance: Teaches that Śiva’s apparent emotions can be līlā (pedagogical concealment), prompting devotees to move from surface perception to tattva-understanding.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Himalaya
• Sumukha

FAQs

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

It shows that Śiva, though transcendent and untouched by sorrow (Pati), can adopt a humanlike mood in līlā to guide beings—revealing compassionate engagement without losing his supreme nature.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva: the Lord who responds within the world of names and forms. Devotees worship the Liṅga as that accessible presence, even while knowing he is ultimately beyond all afflictions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as both compassionate and transcendent while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); this steadies devotion when worldly emotions arise.