Shloka 1

स्वायम्भुव-मन्वन्तर-वंशवर्णनम्

Genealogy of Svāyambhuva Manu and the Dhruva Episode

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । संसृष्टासु प्रजास्वेव आपवोऽथ प्रजाप्रतिः । लेभे वै पुरुषः पत्नीं शतरूपामयो निजाम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | saṃsṛṣṭāsu prajāsveva āpavo'tha prajāpratiḥ | lebhe vai puruṣaḥ patnīṃ śatarūpāmayo nijām

Translation

苏多说道：当众生如此繁衍之后，生主阿婆婆（Āpava，Prajāpati）便为那普鲁沙（Puruṣa）得到了他自身的配偶——具百般形相的沙塔鲁帕（Śatarūpā）。

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• संसृष्टासु: when (they) were created/produced
• संसृष्टासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसृष्ट (कृदन्त; सम्+सृज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to प्रजासु)

• प्रजासु: among the creatures
• प्रजासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis particle)

• आपवः: Āpava (a person/name)
• आपवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ (particle: then/now)

• प्रजाप्रतिः: Prajāpati (lord of creatures)
• प्रजाप्रतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा-प्रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रजाः प्रति/प्रजाप्रति = प्रजापतिः, प्रजाधिपः)

• लेभे: obtained
• लेभे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पुरुषः: the man/person
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to प्रजाप्रतिः)

• पत्नीम्: wife
• पत्नीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• शतरूपाम्: Śatarūpā
• शतरूपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतरूपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पत्नीम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/नाम

• अयः: this (prob. reading: ayam)
• अयः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप) — सम्भाव्यं ‘अयम्’ (इदम् सर्वनाम) इत्यर्थः; वाक्ये अन्वयः अस्पष्टः

• निजाम्: his own
• निजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पत्नीम्/शतरूपाम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Purusha
• Shatarupa

FAQs

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

It frames worldly order—progeny, marriage, and continuation of creation—as arising through a divinely governed process, with māyā enabling multiplicity; in Shaiva terms, such manifestation belongs to the realm where the soul (paśu) becomes entangled in bonds (pāśa) until it turns to Pati (Śiva) for liberation.

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

By highlighting māyā and the structured emergence of forms, it points to Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through form (liṅga, icon, mantra) within creation—while remembering that the ultimate Pati transcends these forms even as He supports them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as the inner ruler beyond māyā while performing daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as aids to keep awareness anchored in Pati rather than in changing forms.