Shloka 21

कामभस्म-प्रार्थना: रत्याः शङ्करं प्रति विनयः / Rati’s Supplication to Śaṅkara regarding Kāma’s Ashes

Devanagari script

क्षमस्व मेऽपराधं हि यत्कृतश्च पुरा प्रभो । स्वजनेषु पराम्प्रीतिं भक्तिन्देहि स्वपादयोः

Transliteration

kṣamasva me'parādhaṃ hi yatkṛtaśca purā prabho | svajaneṣu parāmprītiṃ bhaktindehi svapādayoḥ

Translation

क्षमस्व मेऽपराधं हि यत्कृतश्च पुरा प्रभो। स्वजनेषु परां प्रीतिं भक्तिं देहि स्वपादयोः॥

Word by Word

• क्षमस्व: forgive
• क्षमस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-रूप (enclitic) ‘मे’; अत्र षष्ठी (genitive) — ‘my’

• अपराधम्: offense
• अपराधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• कृतः: done, committed
• कृतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अपराधः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (understood)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्व-जनेषु: among your own people/devotees
• स्व-जनेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—स्वस्य जनाः (one’s own people)

• पराम्: supreme, great
• पराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘प्रीतिम्’)

• प्रीतिम्: affection, favor
• प्रीतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देहि: grant, give
• देहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्व-पादयोः: at your feet
• स्व-पादयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी-द्विवचन रूप; अत्र सप्तमी (locative) — ‘at/in your two feet’; समासः—स्वस्य पादौ

Speaker

Pārvatī (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that spiritual progress in Shaiva devotion begins with humility—seeking forgiveness for past faults—and culminates in Śiva’s grace granting steadfast bhakti at His feet, along with reverence for His devotees.

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

The prayer is directed to the personal Lord (Saguna Śiva) whose feet and devotees are accessible through worship—such as Liṅga-pūjā—where repentance (kṣamā) and devotion are central offerings of the heart.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily kṣamā-prārthanā (forgiveness prayer) before Liṅga worship, followed by bhakti-focused japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and conscious service/respect toward Śiva-bhaktas.