Shloka 5

नन्दिकेश्वरशिवलिङ्गमाहात्म्यवर्णनम्

The Māhātmya of the Nandikeśvara Śiva-liṅga

Devanagari script

पूर्वकर्मप्रभावेन पत्नी सा हि द्विजन्मनः । सुव्रतापि च विप्रेन्द्रा बालवैधव्यमागता

Transliteration

pūrvakarmaprabhāvena patnī sā hi dvijanmanaḥ | suvratāpi ca viprendrā bālavaidhavyamāgatā

Translation

پچھلے کرم کے اثر سے وہ دِوِج کی پتنی، اے برہمنوں کے سردار، نیک ورت والی ہونے کے باوجود کم عمری میں بیوگی کو پہنچ گئی۔

Word by Word

• पूर्वकर्मप्रभावेन: due to the effect of past deeds
• पूर्वकर्मप्रभावेन: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + कर्म + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वकर्मणः प्रभावः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पत्नी: wife
• पत्नी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• द्विजन्मनः: of the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजन्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विजन्मन्-शब्द, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; पत्नी इत्यस्य सम्बन्ध

• सुव्रता: of good vows/virtuous
• सुव्रता: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पत्नी/सा इत्यस्य विशेषण

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• विप्रेन्द्रा: foremost among Brahmins (lady)
• विप्रेन्द्रा: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः/श्रेष्ठा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे ‘श्रेष्ठा ब्राह्मणी’ अर्थे

• बालवैधव्यम्: early widowhood
• बालवैधव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion/attainment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (बालं वैधव्यं), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आगता: attained/entered
• आगता: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘आगता’ = प्राप्ता

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; karmic causality (pūrvakarma) drives the heroine into suffering, preparing the ground for Śiva’s anugraha through liṅga-arcana.

Significance: Teaches that duḥkha born of karma can become the turning-point toward Śiva-upāsanā and eventual grace.

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karma’s continuity across lives: even a virtuous person may face suffering due to prior deeds, and such trials become a ground for turning to Shiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) beyond the bonds of fate.

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

Kotirudra narratives commonly move from human suffering to refuge in Shiva’s sacred presence (Jyotirlinga/Linga). The verse sets the karmic backdrop that motivates seeking Saguna Shiva’s grace for purification and upliftment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a vow of purity and remembrance of Shiva, as a Shaiva remedy for karmic sorrow.