Shloka 42

अत्रीश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Atrīśvara-māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Atrīśvara”

Devanagari script

तदीयं तद्वचः श्रुत्वा रम्यं गंगा सरिद्वरा । प्रसन्नमानसा गंगाऽनसूयां वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tadīyaṃ tadvacaḥ śrutvā ramyaṃ gaṃgā saridvarā | prasannamānasā gaṃgā'nasūyāṃ vākyamabravīt

Translation

ครั้นได้ฟังถ้อยคำอันไพเราะนั้น พระคงคาผู้งดงาม—ประเสริฐสุดในหมู่สายน้ำ—ก็ผ่องใสในดวงใจ แล้วตรัสถ้อยคำต่ออนสุยา.

Word by Word

• तदीयम्: his/that (belonging to him)
• तदीयम्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + ईय (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण (belonging to him/that)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वचः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण (that)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of श्रुत्वा)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• रम्यम्: pleasant
• रम्यम्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वाक्यम् understood / or action)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सरित्-वरा: best of rivers
• सरित्-वरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सरितां वराः); समनाधिकरण (apposition to गङ्गा)

• प्रसन्न-मानसा: with a pleased mind
• प्रसन्न-मानसा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (प्रसन्नं मानसं यस्याः); विशेषण (of Gaṅgā)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• अनसूयाम्: to Anasūyā
• अनसूयाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान/प्रति (to Anasūyā)

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of अब्रवीत्)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the dialogue; Gaṅgā is about to speak to Anasūyā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Gaṅgā, pleased by the request, becomes tranquil and prepares to respond—typical tīrtha-mahātmya narrative logic where a deity’s consent establishes the sanctity and ongoing efficacy of a ford.

Significance: Highlights that tīrtha-power is not merely physical water but a conscious divine presence that responds to dharmic petition; serenity (prasanna-manas) signals boon-bestowal.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Anasuya

FAQs

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

The verse highlights prasanna-manas (a serene, purified mind) arising from sattvic speech and holy association—an inner condition valued in Shaiva dharma for receiving and transmitting sacred wisdom connected to Shiva’s tīrthas.

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

In the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā, sacred geography and dialogue prepare the devotee for Saguna Shiva worship at Jyotirlinga tīrthas; Gaṅgā’s calm, reverent response reflects the devotional disposition that supports Linga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is cultivating mental clarity before worship—approach Shiva-pūjā after purification (snāna in a tīrtha like Gaṅgā when possible), then japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a calm, receptive mind.