Shloka 46

उपमन्युकुमारस्य क्षीरार्थ-प्रार्थना तथा शिवप्रसाद-निबन्धनम् | Upamanyu’s Longing for Milk and the Doctrine of Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

एवं स ददृशे शम्भुदेव्या सार्द्धं वृषोपरि । गणेश्वरैस्त्रिशूलाद्यैर्दिव्यास्त्रैरपि संवृतः

Transliteration

evaṃ sa dadṛśe śambhudevyā sārddhaṃ vṛṣopari | gaṇeśvaraistriśūlādyairdivyāstrairapi saṃvṛtaḥ

Translation

Maka demikianlah dia menyaksikan Tuhan Śambhu (Śiva) bersama Dewi, bersemayam di atas lembu Nandin, dikelilingi para penguasa Gaṇa yang memegang trisula dan senjata-senjata ilahi yang lain.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ददृशे: was seen / appeared
• ददृशे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धातु √दृश् (दर्शन)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (ददृशे = appeared/was seen)

• शम्भु-देव्या: with Śambhu’s goddess (Pārvatī)
• शम्भु-देव्या: Sahakarana (सह/सहचर्य; Instrumental of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक) + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शम्भोः देवी = पार्वती)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘together with’)

• वृष-उपरि: upon the bull
• वृष-उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; ‘उपरि’ इति अव्यय; अर्थः—वृषस्य उपरि

• गण-ईश्वरैः: by/with the lords of the gaṇas
• गण-ईश्वरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गणानाम् ईश्वराः)

• त्रि-शूल-आद्यैः: with tridents and the like
• त्रि-शूल-आद्यैः: Karana (करण; appositional to गणेश्वरैः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (त्रिशूलादयः)

• दिव्य-अस्त्रैः: with divine weapons
• दिव्य-अस्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (दिव्यानि अस्त्राणि)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• संवृतः: surrounded
• संवृतः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृत (कृदन्त; धातु √वृ (आवरणे) with सम्- उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to सः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umapati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganas
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse presents a sacred darśana of Saguna Śiva: Śambhu united with Devī, enthroned on Nandin and attended by the Gaṇas—teaching that the Lord is approached through devotion to His manifest, grace-bestowing form together with Śakti.

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

While Liṅga worship points to Śiva’s transcendent reality, this verse emphasizes Saguna contemplation—visualizing Śiva with Devī, His vahana (Nandin), and His retinue—supporting temple worship, dhyāna, and pūjā where form becomes a doorway to the formless.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is dhyāna while repeating the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), visualizing Śiva with Devī on Nandin, encircled by the Gaṇas; this can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines.