Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24
पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)
द्विज उवाच । अहो तपस्ते किं भद्रे न बुद्धं किंचिदेव हि । न दग्धो वह्निना देहो न च प्राप्तं मनीषितम्
dvija uvāca | aho tapaste kiṃ bhadre na buddhaṃ kiṃcideva hi | na dagdho vahninā deho na ca prāptaṃ manīṣitam
দ্বিজে ক’লে—অহো ভদ্ৰে! তোমাৰ এই তপস্যা কেনেকুৱা? সঁচাকৈ একোৱেই সিদ্ধ নহ’ল। দেহ অগ্নিয়ে দগ্ধ নোহ’ল, আৰু কাম্য লক্ষ্যো লাভ নহ’ল।
Dvija (a brāhmaṇa sage)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
It highlights that austerity (tapas) is not automatically fruitful; spiritual effort must be rightly oriented and supported by clarity of purpose and divine grace. In a Shaiva Siddhanta tone, it warns against mistaking sheer hardship for realization.
The verse implicitly points toward purposeful devotion rather than self-torment: worship of Saguna Shiva (including Linga-upasana) succeeds when performed with bhakti, right understanding, and surrender, not merely with extreme bodily endurance.
The takeaway is to replace aimless austerity with disciplined Shiva-sadhana—steady japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), devotional worship, and inner contemplation—so practice leads toward the intended spiritual goal.