Shloka 1

पुराणश्रवणप्रस्तावः

Prologue to the Recitation of the Śaiva Purāṇa

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचः सौतं प्रोचुस्ते परमर्षयः । वेदांतसारसर्वस्वं पुराणं श्रावयाद्भुतम्

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | ityākarṇya vacaḥ sautaṃ procuste paramarṣayaḥ | vedāṃtasārasarvasvaṃ purāṇaṃ śrāvayādbhutam

Translation

വ്യാസൻ പറഞ്ഞു—സൂതന്റെ വചനങ്ങൾ കേട്ട പരമർഷിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു: വേദാന്തസാരസർവ്വസ്വമായ ആ അത്ഭുതപുരാണം ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് ശ്രവിപ്പിക്കണമേ।

Word by Word

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः, अव्यय)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā + kṛ (कृ/कर्ण्?; √kṛṇ/karṇ—‘to hear’) (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund/Absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय), ‘having heard’

• vacaḥ: speech, words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sautam: Sauta (son of Sūta)
• sautam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sauta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ‘Sūta’s (son/descendant)’ i.e., the narrator

• procuḥ: said, spoke forth
• procuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• parama-ṛṣayaḥ: the great sages
• parama-ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘paramāḥ ṛṣayaḥ’)

• vedānta-sāra-sarvasvam: the very all/total essence of Vedānta
• vedānta-sāra-sarvasvam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedānta (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sarvasva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘vedāntasya sāraḥ’ + ‘sarvasva’ = whole essence/totality)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrāvayāt: let (him) cause to be recited / have (it) recited
• śrāvayāt: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु) [causative—णिच्: śrāvaya]
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिजन्त), parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• adbhutam: wonderful, marvelous
• adbhutam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘purāṇam’

Speaker

Vyasa

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Suta
• Sages (Ṛṣis)

FAQs

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

It establishes śravaṇa (devout listening) as a primary doorway to grace: the sages seek the Shiva Purāṇa as Vedānta’s essence, implying that liberation is supported not only by abstract philosophy but by hearing Shiva-centered truth that turns the mind toward Pati (Lord Shiva).

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

By calling the Purāṇa “wondrous” and “the essence of Vedānta,” the verse frames Saguna narration—names, forms, and deeds of Shiva (including Linga worship taught in the Vidyeśvara/Viśveśvara section)—as a valid and powerful means to realize the highest reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is disciplined śravaṇa of Shiva Purāṇa kathā (listening/recitation) with faith; as a practical takeaway, one may pair listening with mental japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady attention and devotion.