Shloka 19

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

कृत्वा तपः कठोरं च सुचिरं प्राणवल्लभम् । न प्राप्याग्नौ विविक्षन्ती त्वं दृष्ट्वा संस्थिता क्षणम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā tapaḥ kaṭhoraṃ ca suciraṃ prāṇavallabham | na prāpyāgnau vivikṣantī tvaṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃsthitā kṣaṇam

Translation

بعد أن أديتَ تَبَسًا شديدًا وطويلًا، أحبَّ إليك من الحياة نفسها، ولما لم تنل مرادك هممتَ بدخول النار؛ غير أني لما رأيتك وقفتُ ساكنةً لحظةً.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (acc./nom. sg.; here object)

• कठोरम्: severe, hard
• कठोरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कठोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying tapaḥ)

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

• सुचिरम्: for a long time
• सुचिरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying tapaḥ)

• प्राणवल्लभम्: dear as life itself
• प्राणवल्लभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): प्राणानां वल्लभः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying tapaḥ)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• प्राप्य: having reached/obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having obtained/reached’

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (locative sg.)

• विविक्षन्ती: wishing to enter
• विविक्षन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + विश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; इच्छार्थक (desiring to enter)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• संस्थिता: stood, remained
• संस्थिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.), कालपरिमाण (measure of time)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No Jyotirliṅga specified; the verse depicts Śiva’s compassionate intervention preventing self-immolation, a narrative pattern often used in kṣetra-māhātmyas to explain the Lord’s protective grace.

Significance: Highlights anugraha: Śiva halts the devotee at the brink of self-destruction, teaching that true attainment is by grace, not by despair.

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 highlights that sincere, prolonged tapas done with single-minded devotion becomes a powerful call for Pati (Shiva); even when the devotee reaches despair, Shiva’s grace intervenes and redirects the soul from self-destruction toward fulfillment and dharma.

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

The verse reflects Saguna Shiva’s compassionate responsiveness: the Lord is not merely an abstract Nirguna principle but the personal Pati who witnesses devotion and acts. Linga-worship similarly trains the devotee to steady the mind and receive Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined tapas with bhakti—supported by japa (especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), inner restraint, and steady contemplation of Shiva—rather than impulsive acts born of frustration; traditional Shaiva supports like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa may accompany such sādhanā.