Shloka 1

Arjuna–Gaṇa Saṃvāda: Bāṇādhikāra, Tāpasa-veṣa, and the Ethics of Tapas (अर्जुन-गणसंवादः)

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । सनत्कुमार सर्वज्ञ शृणु लीलाम्परात्मनः । भक्तवात्सल्यसंयुक्तां तद्दृढत्वविदर्भिताम्

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | sanatkumāra sarvajña śṛṇu līlāmparātmanaḥ | bhaktavātsalyasaṃyuktāṃ taddṛḍhatvavidarbhitām

Translation

难提伊湿伐罗曰：噢，善那特库玛罗，遍知者，请聆听至上真我之神圣戏游（līlā）——饱含对奉主者的慈爱，并为显明其信爱（bhakti）之坚固不移而铺陈。

Word by Word

• nandīśvaraḥ: Nandīśvara
• nandīśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa samāsa (तत्पुरुष), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana

• sanat-kumāra: O Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāra: Sambodhyā (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya samāsa, Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• sarva-jña: O all-knowing one
• sarva-jña: Sambodhyā (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √jñā ज्ञा)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa samāsa, Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sanat-kumāra

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Ekavacana

• līlām: the divine play
• līlām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• parātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• parātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (para-ātman), Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• bhakta-vātsalya-saṃyuktām: endowed with affection for devotees
• bhakta-vātsalya-saṃyuktām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vātsalya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (कृदन्त, √yuj युज् + sam-)
• Form: (bhakta-vātsalya)-tatpuruṣa + saṃyukta; Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of līlām

• tat-dṛḍhatva-vidarbhitām: made firm/embellished by that steadfastness
• tat-dṛḍhatva-vidarbhitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + dṛḍhatva (प्रातिपदिक) + vidarbhita (कृदन्त, √dṛbh/√darbh? denom. ‘to embellish/strengthen’)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa samāsa; Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of līlām

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Nandishvara (Nandi)
• Sanatkumara
• Shiva (as Paratman)

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva’s līlā as a deliberate revelation of bhakta-vātsalya (divine love for devotees) and the power of dṛḍha-bhakti—steadfast devotion that matures the soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).

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

By calling the Supreme Self a source of līlā, the verse supports Saguna worship (such as Śiva-liṅga pūjā) as a compassionate, accessible mode through which devotees approach and realize the transcendent Parātman.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key takeaway is cultivating firm bhakti through regular Śiva-pūjā and japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with steady daily discipline and heartfelt remembrance.