Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

गणेश-षण्मुखयोः विवाहविचारः / Deliberation on the Marriages of Gaṇeśa and Ṣaṇmukha

Devanagari script

इत्येवं वचनं देवे शास्त्रे वा धर्मसञ्चये । वर्त्तते किं च तत्तथ्यं नहि किं तथ्यमेव वा

Transliteration

ityevaṃ vacanaṃ deve śāstre vā dharmasañcaye | varttate kiṃ ca tattathyaṃ nahi kiṃ tathyameva vā

Translation

فهكذا تُوجَدُ هذه المقالة في كلام الربّ، أو في الشاسترا الجامعة للدارما. ولكن هل هي حقًّا صحيحة—أم ليست كذلك؟ أم لعلّها وحدها هي الحقيقة؟

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• evam: in this manner
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• vacanam: statement
• vacanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• deve: in/with regard to the deity
• deve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• śāstre: in scripture
• śāstre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa-dyotaka (समुच्चय/विकल्पद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

• dharma-sañcaye: in the collection/compendium of dharma
• dharma-sañcaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sañcaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• varttate: exists/occurs
• varttate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (किम्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative (तद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathyam: true/real
• tathyam: Pradhāna-pada (प्रधानपद/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (किम्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathyam: true
• tathyam: Pradhāna-pada (प्रधानपद/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa-dyotaka (विकल्पद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages, presenting a deliberative question on scriptural certainty)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights discernment (viveka): even when a claim appears in divine speech or dharma-śāstra, the seeker should test it against truth-oriented dharma that leads toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation, not mere argument or custom.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in śāstra and the Lord’s instruction; this verse frames the need to establish what is genuinely authoritative so devotion to Saguna Shiva is aligned with true dharma and not based on doubtful interpretations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śāstra-yukti with bhakti: study the Shaiva teachings, verify them by their capacity to purify and steady the mind, and then commit to consistent Shiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a truthful, disciplined life.