Shloka 20

Daśa-Śivāvatāra-Nirūpaṇa

Enumeration of Ten Prime Manifestations of Śiva with Their Śaktis

Devanagari script

शांकरा निजधर्मस्थाः शृण्वन्तश्चरितन्त्विदम् । सुखिनः स्युर्विशेषेण शिवभक्ता भवन्तु च

Transliteration

śāṃkarā nijadharmasthāḥ śṛṇvantaścaritantvidam | sukhinaḥ syurviśeṣeṇa śivabhaktā bhavantu ca

Translation

ശങ്കരഭക്തർ തങ്ങളുടെ തങ്ങളുടെ ധർമ്മത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരരായി ഈ പവിത്രചരിതം ശ്രവിക്കുന്നവർ, പ്രത്യേകമായി സുഖികളാകട്ടെ—അവർ തീർച്ചയായും ശിവഭക്തരാകട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• शांकराः: Śaṅkara’s (devotees/people)
• शांकराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निजधर्मस्थाः: steadfast in their own dharma
• निजधर्मस्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज + धर्म + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (निजे धर्मे स्थाः = abiding in one’s own duty)

• शृण्वन्तः: listening
• शृण्वन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त-शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शांकराः)

• चरितम्: deed, story, conduct
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-क्त from चर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying चरितम्)

• सुखिनः: happy
• सुखिनः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• स्युः: would be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially)

• शिवभक्ताः: devotees of Śiva
• शिवभक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवस्य भक्ताः)

• भवन्तु: let them become
• भवन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Hearing Śiva-carita while remaining established in svadharma is presented as a means to sukha and deepened Śiva-bhakti—seen in Siddhānta as maturation of the paśu toward receptivity to grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the phala-śruti (spiritual fruit) of hearing Śiva’s deeds: when one listens while remaining grounded in dharma, Śiva’s grace matures into happiness and firm Shiva-bhakti, which in Shaiva Siddhanta is a direct means toward liberation.

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

By praising śravaṇa of Śiva-carita, the verse supports Saguna Śiva devotion—approaching the Lord through His names, forms, and līlās (including Linga worship)—as a practical doorway by which devotion deepens and the mind becomes fit for higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa (listening/recitation) of Shiva Purana kathā with dharmic living; it may be paired with simple Shiva-bhakti supports such as japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and daily remembrance of Śiva.