Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Description of the Sages’ Questions

Devanagari script

कदा बभूव सुखकृद्विधिनारदयोर्महान् । संवादो यत्र गिरिशसु लीला भवमोचिनी

Transliteration

kadā babhūva sukhakṛdvidhināradayormahān | saṃvādo yatra giriśasu līlā bhavamocinī

Translation

متى وقع ذلك الحوار العظيم المُفيض للسرور بين فيدهي (براهما) ونارادا، حيث ذُكرت لِيلا جِريشا (شيفا)، ربّ الجبل، تلك اللعبة الإلهية المُحرِّرة من رباط الوجود؟

Word by Word

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• बभूव: happened/was
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सुख-कृत्: bringing happiness
• सुख-कृत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धातु) → कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘सुखं करोति’ इति (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे गुणवाचकः)

• विधि-नारदयोः: of Vidhi (Brahmā) and Nārada
• विधि-नारदयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः ‘विधिश्च नारदश्च’

• महान्: great
• महान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संवाद-विशेषण)

• संवादः: dialogue
• संवादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यत्र: where/in which
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where/in which)

• गिरि-शसु: in/with Girīśa (Śiva)
• गिरि-शसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giriśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘गिरिशे’ इत्यर्थे वैदिक/पौराणिक रूपम्

• लीला: play/divine sport
• लीला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भव-मोचिनी: liberating from worldly existence
• भव-मोचिनी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक) + mocinī (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √muc (धातु) → णिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भवं मोचयति’—संसारबन्धविमोचिका; लीला-विशेषणम्

Speaker

The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (inquiring to Sūta Gosvāmin)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse frames Śiva-līlā as bhava-mocinī (liberating from saṃsāra); pilgrimage/śravaṇa of such līlās is implied to yield mokṣa-oriented merit.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva’s līlā as bhava-mocinī—capable of freeing the soul from saṃsāra—showing that hearing and contemplating Śiva-kathā is itself a liberating, grace-bearing act in a Śaiva Siddhānta sense (Pati’s compassion loosens pāśa).

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

By highlighting Śiva’s līlā being ‘spoken of’ in sacred dialogue, it points to Saguna Śiva as approachable through narrative, devotion, and worship—commonly centered on the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible, grace-giving form through which devotees connect to Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śiva-kathā-śravaṇa (listening to Śiva’s deeds) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” is the implied takeaway; it supports inner purification and loosening of worldly bonds (bhava).