Shloka 22

Devanagari script

किं त्वं पतसि पुष्पेश पुष्पराट् केन वा धृतम् । आदिमस्याप्रमेयस्य स्तंभमध्याच्च्युतश्चिरम्

Transliteration

kiṃ tvaṃ patasi puṣpeśa puṣparāṭ kena vā dhṛtam | ādimasyāprameyasya staṃbhamadhyāccyutaściram

Translation

ఓ పుష్పేశా, ఓ పుష్పరాజా! నీవెందుకు పడుచున్నావు? నిన్నెవరు ఆపి నిలిపారు? ఆద్యుడైన అప్రమేయుని స్తంభమధ్యమునుండి నీవు దీర్ఘకాలంగా జారిపడ్డావు।

Word by Word

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पतसि: fall
• पतसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पुष्प-ईश: O lord of flowers
• पुष्प-ईश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुष्प-राट्: O king of flowers
• पुष्प-राट्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• केन: by whom?/by what?
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• धृतम्: held, supported
• धृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); predicate to implied subject (त्वम्) in sense 'held/supported'

• आदिमस्य: of the primordial
• आदिमस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of अप्रमेयस्य

• अप्रमेयस्य: of the immeasurable
• अप्रमेयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of स्तम्भस्य (implied)

• स्तम्भ-मध्यात्: from the middle of the pillar
• स्तम्भ-मध्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च्युतः: fallen down
• च्युतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्युत (कृदन्त; च्यु-धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); predicate of त्वम्

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

Lord Brahma (addressing the falling ketakī/pandanus flower associated with the Liṅga-pillar episode)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Alludes to the Liṅgodbhava episode: Śiva manifests as an infinite fiery pillar; Brahmā and Viṣṇu fail to find its limits; the Ketakī flower becomes implicated as false witness.

Significance: Establishes the doctrinal basis for liṅga-worship as worship of the transcendent, immeasurable Pati beyond the reach of limited cognition.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Liṅgodbhava—appearance of the infinite pillar (ananta-stambha) revealing Śiva’s immeasurability

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva as ādi (Primordial) and aprameya (beyond measurement), teaching that finite intellect and pride cannot grasp the Absolute; humility and truthfulness are essential in approaching the Liṅga.

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

The “pillar of the immeasurable One” points to the Liṅga as the accessible Saguna symbol of the Nirguna Reality—Shiva revealed as an infinite column of light/presence that transcends limits yet is worshipped in form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as aprameya while doing Liṅga-pūjā and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating satya (truth) and humility as inner disciplines.