sūtaḥ uvāca - Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti - in these words; arcitaḥ - worshiped; abhiṣṭutaḥ - glorified; ca - and; muninā - by the sage; su-uktayā - well-spoken; girā - with words; tam - to him; āha - spoke; bhagavān śarvaḥ - Lord Śiva; śarvayā - by his consort, Śarvā; ca - and; abhinanditaḥ - encouraged.

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus worshiped and glorified by the eloquent statements of the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, Lord Śarva [Śiva], encouraged by his consort, replied to him as follows.