Shloka 29

Strī-svabhāva-kathanam: Nārada–Pañcacūḍā-saṃvāda

Discourse on Dispassion via the Nārada–Pañcacūḍā Dialogue

Devanagari script

नाग्निस्तुष्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधि । नान्तकस्सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचनाः

Transliteration

nāgnistuṣyati kāṣṭhānāṃ nāpagānāṃ mahodadhi | nāntakassarvabhūtānāṃ na puṃsāṃ vāmalocanāḥ

Translation

火不因柴薪而满足；大海不因众河而盈满。死神不因吞噬群生而餍足——同样，对男子而言，明眸女子的魅力也从不穷尽。故欲望随之则愈增；知足生于克制，并当令心转向赐解脱的主宰——湿婆。

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुष्यति: is satisfied
• तुष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तुष् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• काष्ठानाम्: of pieces of wood
• काष्ठानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th), Plural (बहुवचन)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• अपगानाम्: of rivers
• अपगानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपगा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural; ‘अपगा’ = river

• महा-उदधिः: the great ocean
• महा-उदधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः—‘महान् उदधिः’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• अन्तकः: Death (Yama)
• अन्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘अन्तक’ = Death (Yama)

• सर्व-भूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्व-भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural; तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘सर्वेषां भूतानाम्’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वाम-लोचनाः: women (fair-eyed)
• वाम-लोचनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; कर्मधारय-समासः—‘वामानि लोचनानि यस्याः/याः’ → ‘women (with lovely/left eyes)’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (in the Umāsaṃhitā’s didactic discourse to Umā/Parvati on vairāgya and mastery of desire)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General teaching applicable to all liṅga-kṣetras: cultivating vairāgya and turning to Śiva as the true gati is said to mature the soul toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly appetite is intrinsically insatiable—like fire fed by wood—so liberation requires vairāgya (dispassion) and redirecting the mind toward Pati (Śiva), rather than endlessly feeding desire.

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

By showing the limits of sense-gratification, the verse supports turning to Saguna Śiva—worship of the Liṅga, mantra, and devotion—as a stable refuge that purifies craving and leads the seeker from bondage (pāśa) toward grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” maintain purity with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and disciplined senses, and meditate on Śiva as the inner witness to cool the ‘fire’ of desire.