Shloka 3

Brahmā–Viṣṇu Garva-vādaḥ

The Dispute of Pride Between Brahmā and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

कस्त्वं पुरुषवच्छेषे दृष्ट्वा मामपि दृप्तवत् । उत्तिष्ठ वत्स मां पश्य तव नाथमिहागतम्

Transliteration

kastvaṃ puruṣavaccheṣe dṛṣṭvā māmapi dṛptavat | uttiṣṭha vatsa māṃ paśya tava nāthamihāgatam

Translation

“เจ้าคือผู้ใด จึงนอนอยู่ที่นี่ดุจมนุษย์ และยังมองเราด้วยความทะนง? จงลุกขึ้นเถิด ลูกเอ๋ย—จงมองเรา; นาถของเจ้าได้มาถึงที่นี่แล้ว.”

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरुषवत्: like a man
• पुरुषवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरुष + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुल्योपमा-अव्यय (indeclinable in -वत्: like/as)

• शेषे: on Śeṣa (the serpent)
• शेषे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Gerund; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-अव्यय (also/even)

• दृप्तवत्: as if proud/arrogant
• दृप्तवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृप्त + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुल्योपमा-अव्यय (indeclinable in -वत्: like/as)

• उत्तिष्ठ: rise up
• उत्तिष्ठ: क्रिया (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पश्य: see
• पश्य: क्रिया (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाथम्: lord/master
• नाथम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: देशाधिकरण (Locative/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• आगतम्: come/arrived
• आगतम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (नाथम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the supreme Lord addressing a devotee/being in the narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who dispels ego and awakens the soul (paśu) from human-limited pride into reverent recognition of the Divine presence.

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

It reflects Saguna Shiva’s compassionate intervention—He becomes personally knowable to correct arrogance and establish right devotion, which is the inner attitude required for Linga-worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to approach Shiva-puja with humility—mentally “rise” from ego, bow, and repeat the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as an act of surrender before darśana of the Linga.