Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

एका पादस्थिता सासीच्छिवं संस्मृत्य पार्वती । पंचाक्षरं जपंती च मनुं तेपे तपो महत्

Transliteration

ekā pādasthitā sāsīcchivaṃ saṃsmṛtya pārvatī | paṃcākṣaraṃ japaṃtī ca manuṃ tepe tapo mahat

Translation

وقفت بارفتي على قدمٍ واحدة، مستغرقةً في تذكّر شيفا؛ تلهج بلا انقطاع بالمانترا ذات المقاطع الخمسة «نَمَه شِفايَ»، فأدّت تَقَشُّفًا عظيمًا شديدًا.

Word by Word

• ekā: alone, single
• ekā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• pāda-sthitā: standing on one foot
• pāda-sthitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (कृदन्त; √sthā धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘स्थित’ = standing; तत्पुरुष-समास (पादे स्थिता)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• saṃsmṛtya: having remembered
• saṃsmṛtya: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃ-√smṛ (संस्मृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• pārvatī: Pārvatī
• pārvatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• paṃca-akṣaram: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• paṃca-akṣaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्चानि अक्षराणि यस्य/पञ्चाक्षरम्)

• japantī: chanting
• japantī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी-प्रयोगार्थ (present participle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• manum: the mantra
• manum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘मन्त्र’ अर्थे (mantra)

• tepe: performed (austerity)
• tepe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मरूपे)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying tapaḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it depicts mantra-japa and one-pointed remembrance as the means by which the bound soul (here, the Goddess in exemplary sādhana) seeks Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Establishes pañcākṣarī-japa as a paradigmatic Śaiva practice leading to anugraha and union (attainment) of Śiva.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Pārvatī’s tapas and mantra-japa as the Shaiva path of purification: steadfast discipline and one-pointed remembrance of Pati (Śiva) dissolve impurities and make the soul fit for Śiva’s grace.

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

By remembering Śiva and repeating the Pañcākṣara, Pārvatī worships Śiva in a personal (saguṇa) devotional mode; such mantra-based worship is also central to Liṅga-upāsanā, where the mantra invokes Śiva’s living presence in the symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights Pañcākṣara-mantra japa with unwavering focus (smaraṇa) and disciplined austerity (tapas); as a practical takeaway, regular japa of “Namaḥ Śivāya” with meditative steadiness is implied.