Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

मेना-हिमालयसंवादः

Menā’s Counsel to Himālaya; Response to Slander of Śiva

Devanagari script

तपस्तप्तं त्रिधा पूर्वं वेदाध्ययनमुत्तमम् । अग्नयश्च हुताः पूर्वं तीर्थानि विविधानि च

Transliteration

tapastaptaṃ tridhā pūrvaṃ vedādhyayanamuttamam | agnayaśca hutāḥ pūrvaṃ tīrthāni vividhāni ca

Translation

فيما مضى مارستُ التقشّف على ثلاثة أوجه، وطلبتُ أسمى دراسةٍ للڤيدا. ومن قبلُ أيضًا أُوقدتُ النيران المقدّسة وقدّمتُ لها القرابين على الوجه اللائق، وزرتُ أنواعًا كثيرة من التيـرثا، المواضع المقدّسة.

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; here as object with participle

• तप्तम्: performed/undertaken (austerity)
• तप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle agreeing with तपः

• त्रिधा: in three ways
• त्रिधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• वेद-अध्ययनम्: study of the Vedas
• वेद-अध्ययनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): वेदानाम् अध्ययनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of वेदाध्ययनम्

• अग्नयः: fires (sacred fires)
• अग्नयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• हुताः: were offered (with oblations)
• हुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past passive participle agreeing with अग्नयः (i.e., offerings made into fires / fires fed with oblations)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places, sacred fords
• तीर्थानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various, diverse
• विविधानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of तीर्थानि

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Goddess Pārvatī (narrating her prior spiritual disciplines)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse relativizes tapas, Veda-study, homa, and tīrtha-yātrā as preparatory; without direct Śiva-prasāda they do not yield the highest end—an implicit teaching for pilgrims.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Vedas
• Agni
• Tirtha

FAQs

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

It presents the classical triad of Vedic merit—tapas (austerity), svādhyāya (Vedic study), and yajña/tīrtha (sacrifice and pilgrimage)—as preparatory purifications that refine the soul toward Shiva-realization.

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

The verse emphasizes foundational disciplines that purify intention; in Shaiva practice these culminate in focused Saguna Shiva worship—often through Linga-upāsanā—where devotion becomes steady and grace-bearing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests disciplined tapas with svādhyāya, supported by yajña (offerings into sacred fire) and tīrtha-yātrā; in Shaiva application, these are commonly paired with japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner practice.