Shloka 9

देवगुरुप्रेषणम्

Himālaya Mission of the Gods’ Preceptor / The Gods Send Their Guru

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । गुरो हिमालयगृहं गच्छास्मत्कार्य्यसिद्धये । तत्र गत्वा प्रयत्नेन कुरु निन्दाञ्च शूलिनः

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | guro himālayagṛhaṃ gacchāsmatkāryyasiddhaye | tatra gatvā prayatnena kuru nindāñca śūlinaḥ

Translation

دیوتاؤں نے کہا—اے گرو، ہمارے کام کی تکمیل کے لیے ہمالیہ کے گھر جاؤ۔ وہاں پہنچ کر کوشش کے ساتھ شُولِن (بھگوان شِو) کی مذمت کے کلمات کہو۔

Word by Word

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• guro: O guru
• guro: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• himālaya-gṛham: the house of Himālaya
• himālaya-gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himālaya (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'of Himālaya' + 'house'

• gaccha: go
• gaccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmat-kārya-siddhaye: for the accomplishment of our task
• asmat-kārya-siddhaye: Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); समास: (1) asmat-kārya = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'our task' (2) asmat-kārya-siddhi = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'accomplishment of our task'

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of place

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having gone'

• prayatnena: with effort
• prayatnena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuru: do
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• nindām: censure/insult
• nindām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nindā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śūlinaḥ: of Śūlin (Śiva, the trident-bearer)
• śūlinaḥ: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

The Devas (gods)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse initiates the Himālaya-house episode: devas attempt to influence the Śiva–Pārvatī narrative by dispatching their guru to Himālaya and instructing him to censure Śiva (Śūlin).

Significance: Functions as a cautionary narrative: even devas can engage in aparādha-like speech; the text later reasserts Śiva’s transcendence and the primacy of devotion over blame.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It shows how even celestial beings can act from limited aims, urging actions like slander that oppose dharma; the Shaiva view highlights that hostility toward Śiva (Pati) only deepens bondage (pāśa), while reverence and surrender lead toward grace and liberation.

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

Śūlin is a Saguna epithet of Śiva (the Trident-bearer); the verse contrasts slander with proper devotional orientation—Linga/Saguna worship is upheld in the Purana as a means to align speech and mind with Śiva rather than turning them into instruments of nindā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to avoid nindā and instead stabilize speech in japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—supported by simple Shaiva observances like applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and cultivating devotion.