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Shloka 66

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

प्रमत्तमुच्चैरिति कृत्यचिन्तया प्रवृद्धलोभं विषयेषु लालसम् । त्वमप्रमत्त: सहसाभिपद्यसे क्षुल्लेलिहानोऽहिरिवाखुमन्तक: ॥ ६६ ॥

pramattam uccair iti kṛtya-cintayā pravṛddha-lobhaṁ viṣayeṣu lālasam tvam apramattaḥ sahasābhipadyase kṣul-lelihāno ’hir ivākhum antakaḥ

प्रमत्तं कृत्यचिन्तया विषयेषु लालसं प्रवृद्धलोभं जनं त्वम् अप्रमत्तः सहसाभिपद्यसे। क्षुल्लेलिहानोऽहिरिवाखुमन्तकः कालेन ग्रससि॥

pramattamthe heedless (one)
pramattam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpramatta (कृदन्त, pra-√mad (धातु) + kta)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त used adjectivally: ‘careless/heedless’ (object described)
uccaiḥloudly; greatly
uccaiḥ:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootuccaiḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘aloud/highly’
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)
kṛtya-cintayāby worry about tasks
kṛtya-cintayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛtya (प्रातिपदिक) + cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (by anxiety about duties/what is to be done)
pravṛddha-lobhamwith increased greed
pravṛddha-lobham:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpravṛddha (कृदन्त, pra-√vṛdh (धातु) + kta) + lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (grown/increased greed) qualifying pramattam
viṣayeṣuin sense-objects
viṣayeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन
lālasamcraving
lālasam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootlālasa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘eager/greedy’ qualifying pramattam
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा, एकवचन
apramattaḥvigilant
apramattaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-pramatta (कृदन्त, pra-√mad + kta with negation a-)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘not careless, vigilant’ qualifying tvam
sahasāsuddenly
sahasā:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsahasā (अव्यय/तृतीया-एकवचन)
Formअव्ययवत् प्रयोग; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly/with force)
abhipadyaseyou attack/approach
abhipadyase:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootabhi-√pad (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
kṣut-lelihānaḥhunger-licking (ravenous)
kṣut-lelihānaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + lelihāna (कृदन्त, √lih (धातु) शानच्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (licking due to hunger; i.e., ravenous) qualifying ahiḥ
ahiḥa snake
ahiḥ:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootahi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ivalike
iva:
Upamā (उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
Formउपमावाचक अव्यय
ākhuma mouse
ākhum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootākhu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
antakaḥthe destroyer (death)
antakaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootantaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to tvam (as Time/Death)

Everyone is greedy, and everyone makes plans for material enjoyment. In his lust for material enjoyment, the living entity is described as a madman. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) :

T
The Pracetas
L
Lord Vishnu (as Time/Death)

FAQs

This verse says that when one becomes absorbed in worldly plans, greed grows and the mind runs toward sense objects—making one spiritually careless and vulnerable to being overtaken by Time.

In their prayer, the Pracetas portray the Lord’s power as Time/Death: while humans feel secure in noisy worldly activity, the Lord’s vigilant time-force can overtake them without warning.

Reduce compulsive busyness and craving-driven goals, practice daily bhakti (hearing, chanting, remembrance), and live with awareness that time is limited—so priorities stay centered on devotion and self-control.