Shloka 6

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

महिम्ना येन शंभोस्तु येये लोके विमोहिताः । मायया ज्ञानमाहृत्य नानालीलाविहारिणः

Transliteration

mahimnā yena śaṃbhostu yeye loke vimohitāḥ | māyayā jñānamāhṛtya nānālīlāvihāriṇaḥ

Translation

شَمبھو کی اسی مہِما سے دنیا کے جاندار فریفتہ ہو جاتے ہیں؛ اُس کی مایا اُن کا سچا گیان چھین لیتی ہے اور وہ طرح طرح کی لیلاؤں میں بھٹکتے پھرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• महिम्ना: by (his) greatness
• महिम्ना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative link)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• ये: (those) who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (emphatic repetition)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विमोहिताः: deluded
• विमोहिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मायया: by māyā/illusion
• मायया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आहृत्य: having taken away
• आहृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+हृ (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having taken away)

• नानालीलाविहारिणः: those who sport in various divine plays
• नानालीलाविहारिणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना-लीला-विहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नानाविधासु लीलासु विहारिणः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly delusion is not merely personal weakness but arises under Śiva’s Māyā (the veiling power), which obscures liberating knowledge; freedom comes by Śiva’s grace and right discernment.

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

Since Māyā diverts the mind into ‘many plays,’ Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—gathers attention back to Śiva, purifies the pashu (bound soul), and restores jñāna leading toward realization of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-dhyāna to counter distraction and reawaken true knowledge; simple Śiva-pūjā with purity and restraint supports this.