Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । श्रुतपूर्वं हि भगवंस्तव चाटु वचो मया । येनैवमतिधीराहमपि प्रागभिवंचिता

Transliteration

devyuvāca | śrutapūrvaṃ hi bhagavaṃstava cāṭu vaco mayā | yenaivamatidhīrāhamapi prāgabhivaṃcitā

Translation

A Deusa disse: «Ó Senhor Bem-aventurado, de fato já ouvi antes tuas palavras lisonjeiras; por elas, até eu, embora firme no entendimento, outrora fui enganada.»

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (fem), Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana (sg)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg); Parasmaipada

• śruta-pūrvam: previously; before
• śruta-pūrvam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त, √śru धातु) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), Dvitīyā (Acc, 2nd), Ekavacana (sg); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘previously heard’; used adverbially (‘before’)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; hetu/niścaya-nipāta (particle: indeed/for)

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masc), Sambodhana (Voc), Ekavacana (sg)

• tava: your
• tava: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen, 6th), Ekavacana (sg)

• cāṭu: flattery; coaxing words
• cāṭu: Viśeṣya/Viśeṣaṇa-bhāva (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāṭu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc), Ekavacana (sg); here with ‘vacaḥ’ as apposition/qualifier

• vacaḥ: speech; words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (of implied ‘śrutam’ = heard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana (sg)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता/करण) with passive sense (‘was heard by me’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Tṛtīyā (Instr, 3rd), Ekavacana (sg)

• yena: by which; whereby
• yena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Tṛtīyā (Instr, 3rd), Ekavacana (sg)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphasis)

• amati-dhīḥ: a foolish-minded woman (I)
• amati-dhīḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) (of ‘abhivaṃcitā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-mati (प्रातिपदिक) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (fem), Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana (sg); समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘amati’ (unwise) qualifying ‘dhī’ (intellect) → ‘one of foolish intellect’

• aham: I
• aham: Kartā (कर्ता) (appositional with ‘amati-dhīḥ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana (sg)

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya/avadhāraṇa particle (also/even)

• prāk: formerly; earlier
• prāk: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāk (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; kāla-avyaya (formerly/before)

• abhivaṃcitā: was deceived
• abhivaṃcitā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√vañc (वञ्च् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta—PPP (क्त, past passive participle), Strīliṅga (fem), Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Ekavacana (sg); ‘deceived’

Speaker

Parvati (Devi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights viveka (discernment): even a strong intellect can be swayed by persuasive speech, so the seeker must anchor the mind in truth and devotion to Pati (Shiva) rather than appearances.

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

It implies that devotion should not rest on mere charming words or surface impressions; Saguna worship (including Linga-upasana) is meant to stabilize the mind and purify perception so one recognizes Shiva’s reality beyond persuasion and emotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a calm, discerning mind; combine it with simple Shiva-upachara (like offering water to the Linga) to cultivate inner firmness (mati-dhairya).