Shloka 32

नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा मुनये तस्मै ददौ विष्णुर्मुखं हरे । स्वरूपमनुगृह्यास्य तिरोधानं जगाम सः

Transliteration

ityuktvā munaye tasmai dadau viṣṇurmukhaṃ hare | svarūpamanugṛhyāsya tirodhānaṃ jagāma saḥ

Translation

ครั้นตรัสดังนี้แล้ว พระวิษณุประทานพระพักตร์ทิพย์ของพระองค์ในฐานะหริแก่ฤๅษีนั้น แล้วทรงเมตตาเผยสวรูปแท้ ก่อนจะอันตรธานและเสด็จจากไป

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; (having said)

• मुनये: to the sage
• मुनये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/Dative), एकवचन; (to the sage)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; (to him)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (gave)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (Vishnu)

• मुखम्: a face
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; (face/mouth)

• हरे: to Hari
• हरे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/सप्तमी/सम्बोधन एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) अधिकयुक्ता; (to Hari)

• स्वरूपम्: (his) own form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (one's own form)

• अनुगृह्य: having blessed
• अनुगृह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु+ग्रह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); (having favored/blessed)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन; (of him)

• तिरोधानम्: disappearance (concealment)
• तिरोधानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + धान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (disappearance/concealment)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (went)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (he)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Tirodhāna motif: deity reveals a form then becomes unseen (concealment as cosmic function)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari
• Muni (sage)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights anugraha (grace) as the decisive spiritual force: the Lord reveals his svarūpa to uplift the seeker, and then performs tirodhāna (concealment) to mature devotion and inner realization rather than dependence on outer vision—an idea resonant with Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on grace guiding the soul toward liberation.

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

It supports the principle that the Lord can be approached through a manifest, graspable form (saguṇa)—like the Śiva-liṅga as an accessible focus of worship—yet the ultimate aim is inner recognition of the divine svarūpa. The Lord’s ‘withdrawal from sight’ points to moving from external darśana to steady contemplation and faith.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on the Lord’s form received through scripture and guru, combined with japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so that devotion remains firm even when direct experiences ‘withdraw,’ reflecting tirodhāna as a stage in spiritual ripening.