Shloka 26

साधुवेषद्विजाह्वयावतारकथनम् | Account of the ‘Sādhu-veṣa’ Brahmin-Named Incarnation

Prelude

Devanagari script

शङ्कराय सुतान्दातुन्त्वमिच्छसि निजोद्भवाम् । इमाम्पद्मासमां रम्यामज्ञातकुलशीलिने

Transliteration

śaṅkarāya sutāndātuntvamicchasi nijodbhavām | imāmpadmāsamāṃ ramyāmajñātakulaśīline

Translation

“Engkau ingin mengahwinkan puterimu sendiri yang lahir darimu kepada Śaṅkara—gadis jelita ini, setara Padmā (Lakṣmī)—walaupun keturunan dan laku budinya tidak diketahui?”

Word by Word

• शङ्कराय: to Śaṅkara
• शङ्कराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान)

• सुतान्: sons/children
• सुतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म)

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to give’ (कर्तुमर्थे)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता)

• इच्छसि: desire
• इच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• निज-उद्भवाम्: one born of yourself (your own-born)
• निज-उद्भवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (context: ‘one born of oneself’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative)

• इमाम्: this (woman)
• इमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म)

• पद्मा-समाम्: equal to Padmā (Lakṣmī)
• पद्मा-समाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मा (प्रातिपदिक) + समा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपमान-तत्पुरुष (comparison), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative)

• रम्याम्: lovely
• रम्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative)

• अज्ञात-कुल-शीलिने: to one of unknown family and conduct
• अज्ञात-कुल-शीलिने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञात (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + शीलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘अज्ञातं कुलं यस्याः/यस्य’ (of unknown family) qualifying शीलिन्; पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (शीलिन् common), एकवचन, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Lakshmi

FAQs

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

It contrasts worldly measures (lineage, social reputation) with the transcendent reality of Śiva, who as Pati is beyond all limiting identities; true discernment recognizes the Divine even when social proofs are absent.

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

Śaṅkara appearing without conventional pedigree mirrors the Liṅga’s teaching: the Supreme is not confined to form, clan, or history; Saguna devotion matures into recognition of Shiva’s nirguna transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate bhakti with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and practice inner detachment from social judgments—seeing Shiva as the highest refuge rather than evaluating Him by external markers.