Shloka 29

पुराणविदः महिमा तथा अध्ययन-अध्यापन-दानफलम्

The Glory of the Purāṇa-Knower and the Fruits of Study, Teaching, and Giving

Devanagari script

कथां शैवीं मुहूर्तं वा तदर्द्धं क्षणं च वा । ये शृण्वति नरा भक्त्या न तेषां दुर्गतिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

kathāṃ śaivīṃ muhūrtaṃ vā tadarddhaṃ kṣaṇaṃ ca vā | ye śṛṇvati narā bhaktyā na teṣāṃ durgatirbhavet

Translation

ଯେ ନର ଭକ୍ତିରେ ଶିବଙ୍କ ଶୈବ କଥା ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତମାତ୍ର, ତାହାର ଅର୍ଧ କିମ୍ବା ଏକ କ୍ଷଣ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶୁଣନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ କେବେ ଦୁର୍ଗତି ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• कथाम्: story, discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शैवीम्: Śaiva, relating to Śiva
• शैवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of कथाम्

• मुहूर्तम्: a muhūrta (time period)
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कालपरिमाण (measure of time)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• तत्-अर्द्धम्: half of that
• तत्-अर्द्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: “of that”)

• क्षणम्: a moment
• क्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कालपरिमाण (measure of time)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun: “those who”)

• शृण्वति: hear, listen
• शृण्वति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); ये इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition to “ye”)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दुर्गतिः: bad fate, misfortune
• दुर्गतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: would be, may occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/Benitive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s teaching on the fruit of śravaṇa/listening)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Promises protection from durgati through even momentary śravaṇa with bhakti—functionally akin to a ‘kavaca’ of grace, though not tied to a site.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that even brief, devotion-filled listening to Śiva-kathā purifies the mind and aligns the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati), preventing a fall into durgati and supporting the path toward liberation through grace.

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

Śiva-kathā is a form of upāsanā (devotional approach) to Saguna Śiva; hearing His līlā and glory steadies faith, which naturally ripens into reverence for the Liṅga as the accessible sign of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice śravaṇa: set aside even a short time to listen to Shiva Purana recitation with bhakti; ideally accompany it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a simple offering like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as remembrance.