Shloka 6

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

यथा भवद्भिः पृच्छेत तथा पृष्टं हि वेधसा । हरिणा शिवया चैव तथा वै शंकरं प्रति

Transliteration

yathā bhavadbhiḥ pṛccheta tathā pṛṣṭaṃ hi vedhasā | hariṇā śivayā caiva tathā vai śaṃkaraṃ prati

Translation

ดังที่ท่านทั้งหลายได้ทูลถาม คำถามเดียวกันนั้นแลเคยถูกทูลถามต่อพระศังกระโดยพระเวธัสคือพระพรหมา โดยพระหริคือพระวิษณุ และโดยพระศิวา (พระปารวตี) ด้วยเช่นกัน.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relational)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as)

• भवद्भिः: by you
• भवद्भिः: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक

• पृच्छेत: should ask
• पृच्छेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम् (thus)

• पृष्टम्: (it was) asked / the question
• पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; matter asked)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः (the act/thing asked)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• वेधसा: by Brahmā (Vedhas)
• वेधसा: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• हरिणा: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिणा: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शिवया: by Śivā (Pārvatī)
• शिवया: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: certainly
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम् (thus)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed, surely)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards, to
• प्रति: Adhikarana/Direction (अधिकरण/दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (towards; governing accusative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: the same ‘which vrata pleases Śiva’ question is portrayed as universally significant—asked by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Pārvatī—mirroring pan-Indian pilgrimage narratives where even gods seek Śiva’s upāya.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes Śaṅkara as the supreme and reliable source of liberating knowledge (pati-jñāna): even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Pārvatī approach Him with the same essential inquiry, so the sages’ question is part of a timeless Shaiva tradition of seeking grace-bestowing instruction.

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

By pointing to Śaṅkara as the one repeatedly questioned by the highest deities, the verse supports approaching Saguna Śiva—especially through the Śiva-liṅga—as the accessible embodiment of the Supreme who answers devotees and grants siddhi and mokṣa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to adopt the disciple’s stance—humble inquiry and attentive listening—supported by daily Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and liṅga-pūjā with devotion.