Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा सकलास्ते वै साच्युतास्सर्षयस्सुराः । विस्मयं प्रापुरत्यन्तं पप्रच्छुस्तं च बालकम्

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā sakalāste vai sācyutāssarṣayassurāḥ | vismayaṃ prāpuratyantaṃ papracchustaṃ ca bālakam

Translation

فلما رأوه، جميعُهم—مع أَچْيُوتا (فيشنو) والريشيين والآلهة—أصابهم عجبٌ عميق، فسألوا ذلك الغلام الإلهي.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)

• sakalāḥ: all
• sakalāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies te/surāḥ

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Prayojaka-nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक निपात)

• sa-acyutāḥ: along with Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• sa-acyutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सह-तत्पुरुष: ‘together with Acyuta/Viṣṇu’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sa-ṛṣayaḥ: together with sages
• sa-ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सह-तत्पुरुष: ‘together with sages’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vismayam: astonishment
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāpuḥ: attained / felt
• prāpuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• atyantam: exceedingly
• atyantam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyanta (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: Adverb (परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक अव्यय)

• papracchuḥ: asked
• papracchuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• bālakam: the boy
• bālakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); appositional to tam

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how even devas and great ṛṣis are humbled before divine manifestation; true spiritual progress begins with vismaya (reverent awe) and sincere inquiry, which in Shaiva thought ripens into grace (anugraha) and right knowledge.

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

The gods’ astonishment and questioning mirrors the devotee’s approach to Saguna revelation—when Shiva’s power becomes perceptible in form or event, one turns from mere observation to seeking the deeper tattva behind the appearance, the same movement encouraged in Linga-upasana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is contemplative inquiry (vicāra) joined with devotion: approach the divine with humility, recite a Shiva-mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and seek clarity through respectful questioning of scripture and guru.