Shloka 21

निर्गम्य मत्स्योदरतः शुभास्ये नमः प्रचक्रे भवयोः पुरस्तात् । विज्ञाततत्त्वोऽपि महेश्वरस्तं पप्रच्छ तद्गर्भगतेर्निदानम् ॥ २१ ॥

nirgamya matsyodarataḥ śubhāsye namaḥ pracakre bhavayoḥ purastāt | vijñātatattvo'pi maheśvarastaṃ papraccha tadgarbhagaternidānam || 21 ||

ଶୁଭମୁଖ ସେ ମାଛର ଉଦରରୁ ବାହାରି ଦୁଇ ଭବଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ନମସ୍କାର କଲା। ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଜ୍ଞ ମହେଶ୍ୱର ମଧ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କୁ—ସେ କାହିଁକି ଗର୍ଭରେ (ମାଛ ଭିତରେ) ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲା—ତାହାର କାରଣ ପଚାରିଲେ।

nirgamyahaving emerged
nirgamya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-√gam (धा. गम् गतौ)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having come out’
matsya-udarataḥfrom the fish’s belly
matsya-udarataḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootmatsya (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative ‘from the fish’s belly’
śubha-āsye(O) auspicious-faced one / in auspicious presence
śubha-āsye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootśubha (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative ‘in/with auspicious face’ (addressing/qualifying)
namaḥsalutation
namaḥ:
Sambodhana/Prayojana (नमस्कार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnamas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; interjection of salutation
pracakreperformed/made
pracakre:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√kṛ (धा. कृ करणॆ)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
bhavayoḥof the two (Śiva and Umā)
bhavayoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; genitive dual ‘of the two Bhavas’ (Śiva and Umā)
purastātin front
purastāt:
Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpurastāt (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; adverb ‘in front/before’
vijñāta-tattvaḥknower of the truth
vijñāta-tattvaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-√jñā (धा. ज्ञा) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; PPP ‘one who has known the truth’
apieven
api:
Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; particle ‘even/also’
maheśvaraḥMaheśvara (Śiva)
maheśvaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
papracchaasked
papraccha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√prach (धा. प्रच्छ प्रश्नॆ)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada
tad-garbha-gateḥof his being in the womb/belly
tad-garbha-gateḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive ‘of his entering/being in the womb/belly’
nidānamthe cause/reason
nidānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnidāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Suta (narrator) describing the episode

Vrata: none

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"From deliverance and humble prostration before the divine pair to a calm, instructive inquiry by Maheśvara about the cause of the strange embodiment."}

M
Maheśvara (Shiva)
B
Bhava (epithet of Shiva)

FAQs

It highlights humility and reverence: the auspicious being offers salutations upon emerging, and Śiva’s inquiry models how divine dialogue is used to reveal causes and teach dharma, even when the questioner is already established in truth.

The immediate act of bowing (namaḥ) shows bhakti expressed as surrender and respect toward the divine; the narrative frames devotion as the proper response before seeking or explaining deeper metaphysical reasons.

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; instead it uses a Purāṇic teaching method—question-and-answer (praśna)—as a didactic device to introduce causal explanation (nidāna) and narrative theology.