Shloka 40

नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion

Devanagari script

मूढ मत्वा मुनिं तौ तन्निकटं जग्मतुर्गणौ । कुरुतस्तत्प्रहासं वै भाषमाणौ परस्परम्

Transliteration

mūḍha matvā muniṃ tau tannikaṭaṃ jagmaturgaṇau | kurutastatprahāsaṃ vai bhāṣamāṇau parasparam

Translation

เมื่อเห็นฤๅษีเป็นคนเขลา เหล่าคณะผู้ติดตามทั้งสองก็เข้าไปใกล้ แล้วพูดจากันเองพร้อมทั้งเยาะเย้ยและหัวเราะเยาะท่านอย่างเปิดเผย

Word by Word

• mūḍham: foolish/ignorant (as)
• mūḍham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; used predicatively with object (कर्मणि विशेषण)

• matvā: having considered
• matvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having thought/considered; avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa

• munim: the sage
• munim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Dvivacana; sarvanāma

• tat: of him/that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th) sense in compound; component of tatpuruṣa

• nikaṭam: near/close to
• nikaṭam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; used as adverbial accusative (अव्ययीभावार्थे द्वितीया)

• jagmatuḥ: went
• jagmatuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्) imperfect/past, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Dvivacana; parasmaipada

• gaṇau: the two attendants (gaṇas)
• gaṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Dvivacana; apposition to tau

• kurutaḥ: were doing/making
• kurutaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) present, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Dvivacana; ātmanepada

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, component in compound; refers to the sage/that (तद्)

• prahāsam: mocking laughter/ridicule
• prahāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-hāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; object of kurutaḥ

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphatic (निपात)

• bhāṣamāṇau: speaking
• bhāṣamāṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु) + śatṛ/śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शानच्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Dvivacana; agrees with tau/gaṇau

• parasparam: to each other/mutually
• parasparam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Reciprocal adverb (अव्यय, परस्परम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Muni
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It warns against avajñā (contempt) toward a realized sage; in Shaiva ethics, disrespect to the spiritually illumined becomes a binding pāśa (bond) that obstructs grace and inner purification.

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

True Saguna Shiva worship is measured by character—reverence, restraint, and humility. Mockery of a muni contradicts the spirit of Linga-upāsanā, which is meant to soften ego and cultivate śiva-bhāva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice vāṅ-niyama (discipline of speech) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and cultivate kṣamā (forbearance); if one errs, perform prāyaścitta through sincere apology and renewed devotion.