Shloka 17

उपमन्युकुमारस्य क्षीरार्थ-प्रार्थना तथा शिवप्रसाद-निबन्धनम् | Upamanyu’s Longing for Milk and the Doctrine of Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा शिवं च तं साम्बं जपन्पञ्चाक्षरम्मनुम् । समभ्यर्च्य चिरं कालं चचार परमन्तपः

Transliteration

dhyātvā śivaṃ ca taṃ sāmbaṃ japanpañcākṣarammanum | samabhyarcya ciraṃ kālaṃ cacāra paramantapaḥ

Translation

ఆ సామ్బ శివుని ధ్యానించి, పంచాక్షర మంత్రాన్ని జపిస్తూ, అతడు దీర్ఘకాలం ఆరాధించాడు; అనంతరం అత్యుత్తమమైన, దహనతుల్యమైన తపస్సు ఆచరించాడు।

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), परस्मैपदी; ‘having meditated’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun)

• साम्बम्: Sāmba
• साम्बम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जपन्: chanting
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with implied subject)

• पञ्चाक्षरम्: five-syllabled
• पञ्चाक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘five-syllabled’ qualifying ‘manu/mantra’

• मनुम्: mantra (formula)
• मनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्/मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; here in sense of ‘मन्त्र’ (mantra-formula)

• सम्: fully (preverb)
• सम्: Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग with √अर्च्

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), परस्मैपदी; ‘having worshipped’

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘for long’)

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

• चचार: practised/performed
• चचार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘तपः’

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (ending -ः as -oḥ/-aḥ in some recensions); object of ‘चचार’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Sustained dhyāna-japa-arcana over ‘a long time’ reflects the archetypal sādhana that makes any place a Śiva-kṣetra; not tied to a named Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Teaches that prolonged, ardent tapas combined with Pañcākṣarī japa is a direct means to loosen pāśa and invite Śiva’s liberating grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Uma (as implied in Sambā)

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned progression of sādhana: dhyāna (meditation on the Lord), japa (Pañcākṣarī), and arcana (worship), culminating in tapas that purifies the soul and loosens pāśa (bondage) under the grace of Pati (Śiva).

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

By naming Śiva as “Sambā,” the verse emphasizes approachable Saguna worship—Śiva with Śakti—commonly adored through arcana and often through the Śiva-liṅga, while the inner practice of japa and meditation steadies the mind in His presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Sambā Śiva, chant the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“namaḥ śivāya”), and perform sustained worship; the takeaway is consistent japa plus disciplined tapas as a complete daily Shaiva practice (optionally supported by Rudrākṣa, bhasma/Tripuṇḍra, and pūjā).