Shloka 9

Svagati-varṇana

Description of the Supreme State / One’s True Attainment

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । उपमन्यो महाप्राज्ञ शैवप्रवर सन्मते । पुत्रार्थमगमं तप्तुं तपोऽत्र गिरिशस्य हि

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | upamanyo mahāprājña śaivapravara sanmate | putrārthamagamaṃ taptuṃ tapo'tra giriśasya hi

Translation

శ్రీకృష్ణుడు పలికెను—మహాప్రాజ్ఞుడు, శైవులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడు, సద్బుద్ధి ఉపమన్యుడు పుత్రప్రాప్తి కోసం ఇక్కడ గిరీశుడు (శివుడు) యొక్క పవిత్రస్థలంలో తపస్సు చేయుటకు వచ్చెను।

Word by Word

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (श्रीमान् कृष्णः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उपमन्यो: O Upamanyu
• उपमन्यो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाप्राज्ञ: O greatly wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् प्राज्ञः)

• शैवप्रवर: O foremost among Śaivas
• शैवप्रवर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शैवानां प्रवरः = best among Śaivas)

• सन्मते: O noble-minded one
• सन्मते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्मत (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + मत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सत् मतं यस्य = of good opinion/approved)

• पुत्रार्थम्: for (obtaining) a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative of purpose), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पुत्रस्य अर्थः = for a son)

• अगमम्: I went
• अगमम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तप्तुम्: to do austerity
• तप्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थे; "to perform austerity"

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• गिरिशस्य: of Giriśa (Śiva)
• गिरिशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिश (प्रातिपदिक; गिरि + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गिरिणाम् ईशः = lord of mountains)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/अवधारणार्थ (indeed/for)

Speaker

Lord Krishna

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse frames the locale as ‘Giriśa’s sacred place’ where Upamanyu undertakes tapas for putra-prāpti; it functions as a generic Śiva-kṣetra motif rather than naming a specific Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Tapas and darśana at a Śiva-kṣetra are presented as efficacious for boons (putra) and for ripening devotion that culminates in Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna
• Upamanyu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) performed with Śiva-bhakti as a sanctifying path: when directed to Pati (Śiva) with right understanding, even worldly aims like progeny become aligned with dharma and can mature into spiritual upliftment.

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

By calling Śiva “Girīśa” and pointing to a specific sacred place, the verse reflects Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through a holy kṣetra and concrete devotional practice, which in Purāṇic context commonly centers on Liṅga-upāsanā and disciplined vows.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests undertaking Śaiva tapas at a Śiva-kṣetra—typically including mantra-japa (especially the pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), purity disciplines, and devotional observances; external marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa are traditional supports for such practice.