Shloka 3

मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Description of the Sages’ Questions

Devanagari script

वन्देतरस्थं निजगूढरूपं शिवंस्वतस्स्रष्टुमिदम्विचष्टे । जगन्ति नित्यम्परितो भ्रमंति यत्सन्निधौ चुम्बकलोहवत्तम्

Transliteration

vandetarasthaṃ nijagūḍharūpaṃ śivaṃsvatassraṣṭumidamvicaṣṭe | jaganti nityamparito bhramaṃti yatsannidhau cumbakalohavattam

Translation

പരാത്പരനായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന, തന്റെ യഥാർത്ഥ രൂപം ഗൂഢമായ ആ ശിവനെ ഞാൻ വന്ദിക്കുന്നു; അവൻ സ്വഭാവതഃ ഈ പ്രപഞ്ചം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഇച്ഛിക്കുന്നു. അവന്റെ സന്നിധിയിൽ സർവ്വ ലോകങ്ങളും നിത്യമായി ചുറ്റി ഭ്രമിക്കുന്നു—കാന്തത്തിനരികെ ഇരുമ്പ് ആകർഷിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• वन्दे: I bow to
• वन्दे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तरस्थम्: transcendent / beyond
• तरस्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तरे स्थितः) ‘on the farther shore/ transcendent’ विशेषणम् (शिवम्)

• निजगूढरूपम्: whose own form is hidden
• निजगूढरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + गूढ (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (निजं गूढं रूपम्) विशेषणरूपेण

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वतः: by himself
• स्वतः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘of himself/by himself’

• स्रष्टुम्: to create
• स्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to create’

• इदम्: this (world)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विचष्टे: he beholds/considers
• विचष्टे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जगन्ति: worlds/beings
• जगन्ति: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative), ‘always’

• परितः: around
• परितः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘around’

• भ्रमन्ति: wander/rotate
• भ्रमन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• यत्: whose
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative) — ‘whose’

• सन्निधौ: in the presence
• सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चुम्बकलोहवत्: like magnet and iron
• चुम्बकलोहवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चुम्बक (प्रातिपदिक) + लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial comparison), ‘like magnet and iron’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya in the opening of Rudra Saṃhitā, Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: vande tarasthaṃ nija-gūḍha-rūpaṃ śivaṃ svataḥ sraṣṭum idaṃ vicaṣṭe | jaganti nityaṃ parito bhramanti yat-sannidhau cumbaka-loha-vat tam ||

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic gravitation metaphor: worlds revolve by Śiva-sannidhi alone (niyati/ādhāra), implying hidden governance.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva as the transcendent Pati (Lord) whose true nature is subtle and hidden, yet whose mere presence governs and draws all worlds—pointing to devotion and surrender as the right approach to the Supreme.

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

Though Śiva is described as beyond and concealed (nirguṇa in essence), devotees approach Him through saguna supports such as the Śiva-liṅga; the verse justifies liṅga-worship as a tangible focus for the invisible Lord who pervades and attracts the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva’s sannidhi (living presence) and cultivate steady bhakti—reciting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while visualizing the mind being drawn to Śiva like iron to a magnet.