Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

वैवाहिकानुष्ठानसमापनं दानप्रशंसा च / Completion of Wedding Rites and Praise of Gifts

Dāna

Devanagari script

शिवाशिरसि सिन्दूरं ददौ शम्भुर्द्विजाज्ञया । तदानीं गिरिजाभिख्याद्भुतावर्ण्या बभूव ह

Transliteration

śivāśirasi sindūraṃ dadau śambhurdvijājñayā | tadānīṃ girijābhikhyādbhutāvarṇyā babhūva ha

Translation

بأمرِ البراهمن وضعَ شَمبهو السِّندور، وهو الزنجفر المقدّس، على رأس شِيفا. وفي تلك اللحظة عينها غدتْ جِريجا متألّقةً على نحوٍ عجيب، جمالُها فوق الوصف.

Word by Word

• शिव-अशिरसि: on Śiva's head
• शिव-अशिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सिन्दूरम्: vermilion
• सिन्दूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave/placed
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• द्विज-आज्ञया: by the command of the brāhmaṇa
• द्विज-आज्ञया: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अनीम्: at that time
• अनीम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal particle)

• गिरिजा-अभिख्या: (she) named Girijā
• गिरिजा-अभिख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'named Girijā'

• अद्भुत-वर्ण्या: of wondrous beauty/appearance
• अद्भुत-वर्ण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/it is said
• ह: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (expletive/particle, narrative)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva and Śivā (Pārvatī) as the inseparable divine couple, where an outward auspicious act (sindūra) reflects inner śakti-prakāśa—her manifest radiance—signifying the sanctification of conjugal dharma and grace within Śaiva devotion.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—Śambhu acting in a personal, relational form—showing that devotion to the personal Lord naturally includes reverence for Śakti. In Linga-worship too, Śiva is honored along with His power (Śivā/Umā), the dynamic aspect through which grace is experienced.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to honoring auspicious markers with devotion and purity under proper guidance (ācāra). As a takeaway for practice: worship Śiva with bhakti and disciplined conduct, and pair external ritual (pūjā, tilaka/bhasma as appropriate) with inward remembrance of Śiva-Śakti through mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya).