Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

मङ्गलाचरणम्, तीर्थ-परिसरः, सूतागमनम् — Invocation, Sacred Setting, and the Arrival of Sūta

Devanagari script

कथानां निपुणो वक्ता कालविन्नयवित्कविः । आजगाम स तं देशं सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः

Transliteration

kathānāṃ nipuṇo vaktā kālavinnayavitkaviḥ | ājagāma sa taṃ deśaṃ sūtaḥ paurāṇikottamaḥ

Translation

Pagkaraan, dumating sa pook na iyon ang Sūta, ang pinakadakila sa mga tagapagpaliwanag ng Purāṇa—isang bihasang tagapagsalaysay ng mga banal na salaysay, makatang batid ang panahon at ang wastong asal.

Word by Word

• kathānām: of stories
• kathānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• nipuṇaḥ: skilled
• nipuṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nipuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• vaktā: speaker
• vaktā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• kāla-vit-naya-vit-kaviḥ: a poet knowing time and proper conduct
• kāla-vit-naya-vit-kaviḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक) + naya (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक) + kavi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (बहुपद-समासः): ‘one who knows time, knows policy/discipline, (and is) a poet’

• ājagāma: came/arrived
• ājagāma: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (विशेषण)

• deśam: region/place
• deśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• sūtaḥ: the Sūta (bard/charioteer-narrator)
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• paurāṇika-uttamaḥ: the best of Purāṇa-knowers
• paurāṇika-uttamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paurāṇika (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (श्रेष्ठः पौराणिकः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Suta

FAQs

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

It establishes the authority and fitness of the narrator: one who knows dharma (naya) and the right occasion (kāla) can transmit Shaiva teachings so they lead the listener toward bhakti and liberation (moksha) under Pati (Shiva).

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

In the Shiva Purana, devotion often begins with hearing authentic kathā from a qualified speaker; such śravaṇa prepares the mind for Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—by grounding practice in right understanding and conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) to Shiva-kathā from a competent teacher, undertaken at the proper time and with disciplined conduct; this supports mantra-japa (e.g., Panchakshara) and steady meditation.