Shloka 20

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

चतुर्ष्वपि बलिष्ठं हि शिवरात्रिव्रतं हरे । तस्मात्तदेव कर्तव्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिफलेप्सुभिः

Transliteration

caturṣvapi baliṣṭhaṃ hi śivarātrivrataṃ hare | tasmāttadeva kartavyaṃ bhuktimuktiphalepsubhiḥ

Translation

O Hari, sa apat na pangunahing panata, ang panatang Śivarātri ang tunay na pinakamakapangyarihan. Kaya yaong nagnanais ng bunga ng ginhawang makamundo at ng kalayaan (mokṣa) ay nararapat magsagawa ng panatang iyon bilang pangunahing pagsasanay.

Word by Word

• चतुःषु: among the four
• चतुःषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: समुच्चय/अन्वय (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

• बलिष्ठम्: the strongest
• बलिष्ठम्: विशेषण (Adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम् (Singular); अतिशय-तमतम (superlative)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/हेतु (Particle indicating emphasis/reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphatic/causal particle)

• शिवरात्रिव्रतम्: the Śivarātri vow
• शिवरात्रिव्रतम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-रात्रि-व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; components: शिव + रात्रि + व्रत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: हेतु/अपादान (Reason/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाव-न्यायेन प्रयुक्तम्; अपादानार्थक-निपातवत् (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• तत्: that (vow)
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object; with kartavya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Restriction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण-निपातः (restrictive particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate of obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृ-धातोः तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तं कृदन्तम् (gerundive/obligative); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेयार्थः (to be done)

• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-फल-एप्सुभिः: by those desiring enjoyment and liberation-fruits
• भुक्ति-मुक्ति-फल-एप्सुभिः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; by whom it should be done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + फल + एप्सु (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); 'एप्सु' = इच्छुक (desirous)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śivarātri is presented as preeminent among major vows; while observed pan-India, the verse is not anchored to a single jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Establishes Śivarātri as the strongest vrata for both bhukti and mukti—worldly welfare and liberation—thus a universal Śaiva observance.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

The verse declares Śivarātri as the most potent of major vows, presenting it as a direct Shaiva means for both bhukti (rightly ordered worldly well-being) and mukti (release), with devotion to Shiva as the central force.

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

Śivarātri is traditionally fulfilled through night-long worship of Saguna Shiva—especially Linga-pūjā with mantra, offerings, and vigil—by which the devotee approaches Shiva’s grace that culminates in purification and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake the Śivarātri vrata: fasting or regulated diet, night vigil (jāgaraṇa), repeated Shiva-mantra japa (notably the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and Linga worship; applying bhasma and wearing rudrākṣa may be included as Shaiva disciplines.