Shloka 28

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

देवदेव महादेव नीलकण्ठ नमोऽस्तु ते । कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं देव शिवरात्रिव्रतं तव

Transliteration

devadeva mahādeva nīlakaṇṭha namo'stu te | kartumicchāmyahaṃ deva śivarātrivrataṃ tava

Translation

Ó Deus dos deuses, ó Mahādeva, ó Nīlakaṇṭha—saudações a Ti. Ó Senhor, desejo assumir o Teu voto de Śivarātri (vrata).

Word by Word

• देव-देव: O God of gods
• देव-देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (देवानां देवः) संबोधनरूपेण

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• नीलकण्ठ: O Blue-throated one
• नीलकण्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (नीलः कण्ठः यस्य)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/utterance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable interjection of salutation)

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; ‘to you/for you’ (here dative sense)

• कर्तुम्: to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to do/perform’

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देव: O God
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• शिवरात्रि-व्रतम्: the Śivarātri vow
• शिवरात्रि-व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + रात्रि + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: (शिवस्य रात्रिः) + तस्य व्रतम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee (vrata-seeker) addressing Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse expresses śaraṇāgati (devotional surrender) and the intention to observe Śivarātri as a sacred discipline, turning the devotee’s will toward Shiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) through bhakti and vrata.

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

By addressing Shiva with epithets like Mahādeva and Nīlakaṇṭha, the devotee approaches Saguna Shiva—commonly worshipped in Śivarātri through Linga-pūjā—using name, form, and reverence as supports for inner concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to undertaking the Śivarātri vrata—typically including fasting/continence, night-long vigil (jāgaraṇa), Linga worship with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī), and inward remembrance of Shiva.