Shloka 69

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा सा महामाया नेत्रवक्त्रादितो हरेः । निर्गम्य दर्शने तस्थौ ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः

Transliteration

ityuktvā sā mahāmāyā netravaktrādito hareḥ | nirgamya darśane tasthau brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ

Translation

असे बोलून ती महामाया हरीच्या नेत्र-मुख इत्यादींतून बाहेर येऊन प्रकट झाली. मग दर्शन देत अव्यक्त-जन्मा ब्रह्म्याच्या समोर उभी राहिली.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक अव्यय

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महामाया: the great Māyā
• महामाया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती माया)

• नेत्रवक्त्रादितः: from the eyes, mouth, etc.
• नेत्रवक्त्रादितः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-from’; पूर्वपदसमाहार-द्वन्द्व (नेत्रं च वक्त्रं च) + आदि

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• निर्गम्य: having come out
• निर्गम्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• दर्शने: in/at sight; in view
• दर्शने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: whose birth is unmanifest
• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (अव्यक्तं जन्म यस्य सः) विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्मणः’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic delusion (Mahāmāyā) initiating the Madhu-Kaiṭabha episode; concealment preceding restoration of cosmic order

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Mahāmāyā

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Mahāmāyā as the power by which the unmanifest becomes manifest, shaping perception and creation; in a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, liberation comes when the soul (paśu) recognizes Māyā as a bond (pāśa) and turns to the Lord (Pati—Śiva) for grace that transcends it.

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

Māyā ‘appearing in form’ parallels how the formless Reality is approached through form in devotion; worship of the Śiva-liṅga trains the mind to move from visible symbols (saguṇa-upāsanā) toward the realization of Śiva beyond Māyā (nirguṇa), without denying the sacred role of form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair saguṇa worship (daily liṅga-pūjā with mantra) with inner discernment: japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while contemplating that perceptions and mental images arise through Māyā and are to be offered back into Śiva-consciousness.