Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

अथ कालेन महता तस्मिञ्छास्त्रे तिरोहिते । भर्तारं परिपप्रच्छ तदंकस्था महेश्वरी

Transliteration

atha kālena mahatā tasmiñchāstre tirohite | bhartāraṃ paripapraccha tadaṃkasthā maheśvarī

Translation

ثم بعد زمن طويل، حين استتر ذلك التعليم المقدّس، جلست مهيشڤري (بارفتي) في حجر ربّها، وسألت زوجها (شيفا) مرة أخرى بكل توقير.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/beginning particle)

• कालेन: with/by time; after time
• कालेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; time-span)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• महता: great; long
• महता: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘कालेन’

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शास्त्रे: in the scripture/teaching
• शास्त्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तिरोहिते: when (it) had disappeared/been concealed
• तिरोहिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa; locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तिरो-धा (धातु) → तिरोहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तिरोहिते (सति)’ = locative absolute sense

• भर्तारम्: (her) husband
• भर्तारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• परि-पप्रच्छ: asked (repeatedly/earnestly)
• परि-पप्रच्छ: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; reduplicated perfect of √प्रच्छ् with prefix परि-

• तत्-अङ्क-स्था: seated on his lap
• तत्-अङ्क-स्था: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘तस्य अङ्के स्थिता’

• महेश्वरी: Maheshvari (Goddess)
• महेश्वरी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights that divine knowledge can become concealed over time, and that sincere inquiry—especially in the intimate Guru-disciple spirit between Śiva and Pārvatī—revives the path to liberation (moksha) under Pati’s grace.

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

Pārvatī’s questioning of her Lord underscores Saguna Śiva as the compassionate teacher who makes subtle truth accessible; devotion to Śiva (including Linga-worship) is sustained through listening, remembering, and re-asking the teachings when they fade from living tradition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies śravaṇa and manana—hearing and reflecting on Śiva’s teachings—along with renewed japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) when spiritual understanding becomes obscured.