Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

शिवसुत उवाच । शिवेच्छया महाज्ञानिन्नकस्मात्त्वमिहागतः । संस्कारं कुरु मे तात यथावद्वेदसंमितम्

Transliteration

śivasuta uvāca | śivecchayā mahājñāninnakasmāttvamihāgataḥ | saṃskāraṃ kuru me tāta yathāvadvedasaṃmitam

Translation

قال ابنُ شِيفا: «بمشيئةِ شِيفا، يا عظيمَ العارفين بالحكمة المقدّسة، لقد جئتَ إلى هنا على غير توقّع. فافعلْ لي، يا أبتِ الكريم، طقسَ السَّمْسْكارا على وجهه الصحيح، كما تقرّره الفيدا وتُجيزه».

Word by Word

• शिव-सुतः: Śiva’s son (Kumāra)
• शिव-सुतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः — ‘शिवस्य सुतः’

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

• शिव-इच्छया: by Śiva’s will
• शिव-इच्छया: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः — ‘शिवस्य इच्छा’

• महा-ज्ञानिन्: O great knower
• महा-ज्ञानिन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; कर्मधारयः — ‘महान् ज्ञानिन्’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle

• कस्मात्: from what cause? why?
• कस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (or Masculine), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Second person pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of place

• आगतः: come
• आगतः: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु; √गम्)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/ktá), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used predicatively with ‘त्वम्’

• संस्कारम्: rite, consecration, initiation
• संस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• कुरु: do / perform
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: for me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) or Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; here Dative sense (for me)

• तात: O dear father / sir
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• यथा-वत्: properly
• यथा-वत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (properly, duly)

• वेद-संमितम्: in accordance with the Veda
• वेद-संमितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (कृदन्त; √मा ‘to measure’ with सम्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying ‘संस्कारम्’; तत्पुरुषः — ‘वेदेन संमितम्’ (in accordance with the Veda)

Speaker

Shiva’s son (Kumāra/Kārttikeya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; emphasizes Śiva’s will (śivecchā) guiding events and the request for Veda-sanctioned saṃskāra, aligning divine līlā with dharma.

Significance: Teaches that true consecration/qualification for higher rites arises by Śiva’s will and must be performed ‘yathāvat’ (properly), integrating bhakti with Vedic-ritual order.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true spiritual progress in Shaiva Dharma proceeds through Śiva’s grace (śivecchā) and through disciplined, Veda-sanctioned purification/initiatory rites (saṃskāra), aligning the seeker with dharma and readiness for higher knowledge.

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

By emphasizing “Śiva’s will” and “Veda-approved procedure,” the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship as regulated devotion—approaching Śiva through proper rites, purity, and authorized practice, which traditionally includes formal worship methods (vidhi) used in Liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct takeaway is to receive or perform saṃskāra according to scriptural injunction—purificatory discipline and formal rite under guidance—creating eligibility for mantra-japa and structured Śiva worship (such as regular, rule-based devotion and recitation).