Shloka 40

Niṣādasya Bhillasya Itihāsaḥ — Śivarātri-vrata-prabhāvaḥ

The Hunter’s Account and the Efficacy of the Śivarātri Observance

Devanagari script

मृगी सा प्राह तं दृष्ट्वा किं करोषि वनेचर । पूर्ववत्कथितं तेन तच्छ्रुत्वाह मृगी पुनः

Transliteration

mṛgī sā prāha taṃ dṛṣṭvā kiṃ karoṣi vanecara | pūrvavatkathitaṃ tena tacchrutvāha mṛgī punaḥ

Translation

เมื่อเห็นเขา นางกวางกล่าวว่า “โอ้ผู้อยู่ป่า ท่านกำลังทำสิ่งใด?” เขาตอบดังเดิม; ครั้นนางกวางได้ฟังแล้วจึงกล่าวอีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotation/closure particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound used as title-location: ‘in the Śrī-Śiva-Mahāpurāṇa’

• caturthyām: in the fourth
• caturthyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturthī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective agreeing with ‘saṃhitāyām’ (understood)

• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: in the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā
• koṭi-rudra-saṃhitāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the Koṭirudra-saṃhitā’

• vyādha-īśvara-māhātmye: in (the section on) the glory of Vyādheśvara
• vyādha-īśvara-māhātmye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyādha (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the Vyādheśvara-māhātmya section’

• śiva-rātri-vrata-māhātmya-varṇanam: the description of the greatness of the Śivarātri vow
• śiva-rātri-vrata-māhātmya-varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता/subject of nominal sentence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + rātri (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; title-compound: ‘description of the glory of the Śivarātri vow’

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage (अव्ययवत्), naming particle ‘called/named’ (नाम-प्रयोग)

• catvāriṃśaḥ: fortieth
• catvāriṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal ‘fortieth’ qualifying ‘adhyāyaḥ’

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the dialogue to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon marking the end of Chapter 40: ‘Vyādheśvara-māhātmya’ and ‘Śivarātri-vrata-māhātmya-varṇana’.

Significance: Functions as textual framing: identifies the section as a vrata-māhātmya, supporting liturgical/recitational use during Śivarātri kathā-śravaṇa.

FAQs

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

It highlights śravaṇa (reverent listening) and dialogue as a means of inner transformation—receiving instruction, reflecting, and responding—an important devotional method in Shaiva tradition.

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

Though the verse is narrative, it supports the Purāṇic method where devotion to Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship) is taught through story and repeated instruction—hearing the teaching and returning to it “as before” reinforces steadfast bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa and manana: regularly hearing Shiva-kathā and reflecting on it; as a simple takeaway, one may pair this with daily japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to stabilize attention and devotion.