Shloka 3

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

यदि नित्यसुखे श्रद्धा यदि सिद्धेश्च कामुकाः । आगंतव्यं मया सार्द्धं तीरं क्षीरपयोनिधेः

Transliteration

yadi nityasukhe śraddhā yadi siddheśca kāmukāḥ | āgaṃtavyaṃ mayā sārddhaṃ tīraṃ kṣīrapayonidheḥ

Translation

หากท่านทั้งหลายมีศรัทธาในสุขนิรันดร์ และปรารถนาจะบรรลุสิทธิแล้วไซร้ จงมาพร้อมกับเรา ณ ฝั่งมหาสมุทรน้ำนม

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक-अव्यय (conditional particle: ‘if’)

• नित्यसुखे: in/for eternal happiness
• नित्यसुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘नित्यं सुखम्’ (eternal happiness)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक-अव्यय

• सिद्धेः: of attainment/success
• सिद्धेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• कामुकाः: desirous/seekers
• कामुकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate adjective

• आगन्तव्यम्: must come
• आगन्तव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; impersonal obligation ‘it is to be come/you must come’

• मया: with me/by me
• मया: Saha (सह/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition: ‘together with’)

• तीरम्: shore/bank
• तीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्षीरपयोनिधेः: of the ocean of milk
• क्षीरपयोनिधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + पयः + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘क्षीरस्य पयः, तस्य निधिः’ (ocean of milk)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra), instructing the devas/sages within the creation narrative

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The ‘Ocean of Milk’ (Kṣīrasāgara) functions here as a mythic liminal shore where devas gather for divine counsel; not a Jyotirliṅga-sthala in this passage.

Significance: Symbolic ‘tīra’ indicates a threshold-space for receiving upadeśa and grace (anugraha) leading toward siddhi and nitya-sukha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Devas are summoned to a mythic tirtha-space (Kṣīrasāgara-tīra) for a decisive cosmic undertaking.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames śraddhā (faith) in nitya-sukha—Shiva’s enduring bliss—as the qualifying attitude for seekers, urging them to follow the divine lead toward a sacred locus of transformation, symbolizing the path from worldly desire to Shiva-oriented fulfillment.

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

The verse emphasizes approaching Shiva in a guided, accessible (saguṇa) way—following His instruction and going to a sanctified place—reflecting how devotees approach the Linga as a concrete focus for faith that matures into realization of Shiva’s eternal nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined followership with faith: undertake tīrtha-oriented devotion and steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), supported by Shaiva markers like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, to align desire for siddhi with Shiva’s grace.