Shloka 40

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

पुनः कृत्वा तपस्तत्र शिवं वव्रे पतिं च सा । गौरी भूत्वार्द्धवामांगी लीलाश्चक्रेद्भुताश्शिवा

Transliteration

punaḥ kṛtvā tapastatra śivaṃ vavre patiṃ ca sā | gaurī bhūtvārddhavāmāṃgī līlāścakredbhutāśśivā

Translation

അവിടെ വീണ്ടും തപസ്സു ചെയ്ത് അവൾ ശിവനെയേ ഭർത്താവായി വരിച്ചു. ഗൗരിയായി, അർദ്ധവാമാംഗിയായി (അർദ്ധനാരീശ്വരരൂപമായി) ആ ശിവാ അത്ഭുത ലീലകൾ ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb)

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having done’

• tapaḥ: austerity; penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vavre: chose; sought (as husband)
• vavre: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• patim: husband
• patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म-सम्बन्धे (object in apposition to śivam)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gaurī: Gaurī
• gaurī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having become’

• arddha-vāmāṅgī: (she who is) half-left-bodied
• arddha-vāmāṅgī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arddha + vāma + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) ‘अर्धं वामं अङ्गं यस्याः/यस्य’ (epithet)

• līlāḥ: sports; divine plays
• līlāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• cakre: did; performed
• cakre: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• adbhutāḥ: wonderful; marvelous
• adbhutāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying līlāḥ)

• śivā: Śivā (the Goddess)
• śivā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun/epithet)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: After rebirth as Gaurī, Devī performs tapas and chooses Śiva as pati; their union culminates in the archetype of Ardhanārīśvara—didactically expressing inseparability of Śiva and Śakti and the restoration of auspiciousness to the worlds.

Significance: Inspires pilgrimage to Himalayan Śiva-Devī shrines as places where tapas matures into divine union; emphasizes that grace answers steadfast austerity and single-pointed devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Restoration motif: Śakti returns, performs tapas, and re-establishes the cosmic polarity-in-unity (Śiva-Śakti) that enables ordered manifestation.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gauri
• Shiva (Ardhanarishvara)

FAQs

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

It teaches that steadfast tapas and exclusive devotion culminate in Śiva’s grace, revealing the Siddhānta vision of Pati (Śiva) and Śakti as inseparable—spiritual fulfillment arises from this divine union.

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

By presenting Śiva as the chosen Lord and the Goddess as united with him, the verse supports Saguna worship: the Liṅga signifies Śiva as Pati, while the presence of Śakti (Gaurī) affirms worship of Śiva with his power, not as an isolated abstraction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined tapas joined to bhakti—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), worship of the Śiva-liṅga with purity, and contemplation of Śiva-Śakti unity (Ardhanārīśvara) as the inner focus.