Shloka 51

शिवपुराण-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Śiva Purāṇa) / Śivapurāṇa Māhātmya

Devanagari script

संहिता द्वादशमिता महापुण्यतरा मता । तासां संख्यां ब्रुवे विप्राः शृणुतादरतोखिलम्

Transliteration

saṃhitā dvādaśamitā mahāpuṇyatarā matā | tāsāṃ saṃkhyāṃ bruve viprāḥ śṛṇutādaratokhilam

Translation

இந்த ஸம்ஹிதை பன்னிரண்டு பிரிவுகளைக் கொண்டதாகவும் மிகப் பெரும் புண்ணியத்தை அளிப்பதாகவும் கருதப்படுகிறது. ஓ விப்ரர்களே, இப்போது அவற்றின் எண்ணிக்கையைச் சொல்கிறேன்—முழுவதையும் பக்தியுடன் கவனித்து கேளுங்கள்.

Word by Word

• संहिता: the saṃhitā/collection
• संहिता: Karta (कर्ता) — विषय
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• द्वादशमिता: measured as twelve (i.e., of twelve [units])
• द्वादशमिता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) — ‘संहिता’ विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular) — षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘द्वादश-परिमिता’ (measured as twelve)

• महापुण्यतरा: more greatly meritorious
• महापुण्यतरा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) — ‘संहिता’ विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पुण्यतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular) — तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative): ‘more meritorious’; ‘महा’ उपपद-विशेषण (very/greatly)

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriyā (क्रिया) — भावे/कर्मणि (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom, Sg) — ‘considered/held as’

• तासाम्: of those
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) — षष्ठीसम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Pronoun, Genitive, Plural) — ‘of those (saṃhitās)’

• संख्याम्: the number
• संख्याम्: Karma (कर्म) — ब्रुवे इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• ब्रुवे: I tell / I declare
• ब्रुवे: Karta (कर्ता) — वक्ता
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, Ātmanepada, 1st person, Singular)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन) — address
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural) — सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा (used as address)

• शृणुत: listen
• शृणुत: Kriyā (क्रिया) — आज्ञा
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Imperative, Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Plural)

• आदरात्: with respect / attentively
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु) — कारण
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular) — हेतौ/कारणे (out of respect)

• अखिलम्: all (of it)
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म) — शृणुत इत्यस्य
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular) — ‘(listen to) all (of it)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a sthala-purāṇa passage; it introduces the internal twelvefold division (saṃhitā-bheda) of the Śiva Purāṇa, framing the text itself as a vehicle of merit (puṇya) and instruction.

Significance: Śravaṇa (reverent listening) to Śaiva purāṇic teaching is presented as a meritorious sādhana that supports purification and readiness for Śiva’s grace.

FAQs

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

It teaches that reverent listening (śravaṇa) to the Śiva Purāṇa—especially its ordered, twelvefold Saṃhitā structure—is itself a great source of puṇya and a doorway to Shaiva understanding of Pati (Śiva) and liberation.

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

By introducing the Purāṇa’s divisions, the verse prepares the listener for systematic teachings on Saguna Śiva—especially Linga-worship and devotional disciplines—presented in the Vidyeśvara-oriented opening portion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is attentive, reverent hearing of sacred narration (śravaṇa) as a devotional discipline; it supports mantra-japa and Linga-upāsanā taught in subsequent verses and chapters.