Shloka 17

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

अन्यथा कस्समर्थो हि तत्कर्मकरणे मुने । परमात्मा परब्रह्म स एव परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

anyathā kassamartho hi tatkarmakaraṇe mune | paramātmā parabrahma sa eva parameśvaraḥ

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ മുനേ, ആ കര്‍മ്മം ചെയ്യാൻ ആര്‍ക്ക് കഴിയും? അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് ശിവൻ—പരമാത്മാവ്, പരബ്രഹ്മം—നിശ്ചയമായും പരമേശ്വരൻ.

Word by Word

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम)

• samarthaḥ: capable
• samarthaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of kaḥ

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात)

• tat-karma-karaṇe: in performing that deed
• tat-karma-karaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘tasya karmaṇaḥ karaṇe’ = in the doing of that act

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (8th/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• parama-ātmā: the Supreme Self
• parama-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता) / Samānādhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘paramaḥ ātmā’

• para-brahma: the Supreme Brahman
• para-brahma: Karta (कर्ता) / Samānādhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya ‘paramaṃ brahma’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (अवधारण-निपात) emphatic

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Rudra Samhita narrative frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts that the ultimate power behind any truly extraordinary act is Shiva alone—identified as Paramatma and Parabrahman—teaching that all efficacy ultimately rests in Pati (the Supreme Lord).

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

By declaring Shiva as Parameshvara and Parabrahman, the verse supports Linga worship as a concrete (saguna) focus through which devotees approach the same supreme, transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is single-pointed Shiva-bhakti: steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and remembrance that all spiritual power and fruition come from Shiva alone.