Shloka 1

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । श्रुत्वा काल्युक्तमीशानो किं चकार किमुक्तवान् । तत्त्वं वद महाप्राज्ञ परं कौतूहलं मम

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | śrutvā kālyuktamīśāno kiṃ cakāra kimuktavān | tattvaṃ vada mahāprājña paraṃ kautūhalaṃ mama

Translation

วยาสกล่าวว่า “เมื่อได้ฟังถ้อยคำของกาลีแล้ว อีศานะ (พระศิวะ) ทรงกระทำสิ่งใด และตรัสสิ่งใด? ข้าแต่มหาปราชญ์ โปรดบอกความจริงเถิด ความใคร่รู้ของข้าพเจ้ารุนแรงยิ่ง”

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having heard’

• काली-उक्तम्: what was spoken by Kāli
• काली-उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काली (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त/PPP from वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कालीया उक्तम् (spoken by Kāli)

• ईशानः: Īśāna (the Lord)
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• चकार: did
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• उक्तवान्: said / spoke
• उक्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्तवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्तवत्/Perfect participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (one who has said)

• तत्त्वम्: the truth
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महा-प्राज्ञ: O great wise one
• महा-प्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महांश्चासौ प्राज्ञः

• परम्: great
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

Speaker

Vyasa

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it is a dialogic hinge moving from Kālī’s speech to Śiva’s response in the Śaṅkhacūḍa-vadha cycle.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kali

FAQs

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

This verse highlights the disciplic spirit of inquiry: Vyāsa seeks the “tattva” (essential truth) behind Śiva’s response, indicating that liberation-oriented understanding arises from sincere questioning about the Lord’s actions and words.

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

By focusing on what Īśāna “did” and “said,” the verse points to Saguna Śiva—God known through divine conduct (līlā) and instruction—whose will and teaching are contemplated by devotees, just as the Liṅga is worshipped as Śiva’s accessible, grace-giving presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śravaṇa and manana—listening to Śiva-kathā and reflecting on its tattva. A fitting support practice is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Śiva as Īśāna, the compassionate Lord who guides seekers through right understanding.