Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

काली-परिचयः / Himagiri Presents Kālī (Pārvatī) to Śiva

Devanagari script

बिभ्रतीं क्षीणमध्यां च त्रिवलीमध्यराजिताम् । स्थलपद्मप्रतीकाशपादयुग्मविराजिताम्

Transliteration

bibhratīṃ kṣīṇamadhyāṃ ca trivalīmadhyarājitām | sthalapadmapratīkāśapādayugmavirājitām

Translation

তিনি ক্ষীণ কটিযুক্তা, মধ্যদেশে ত্রিবলীর শোভায় অলংকৃতা। দৃঢ় ভূমিতে প্রস্ফুটিত পদ্মের ন্যায় তাঁর যুগল চরণ দীপ্তিমান—এইরূপে দেবী পার্বতীর শুভ সগুণ রূপ বর্ণিত হল।

Word by Word

• बिभ्रतीम्: bearing / possessing
• बिभ्रतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) → बिभ्रत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (pres. act. participle, fem. acc. sg.)

• क्षीण-मध्याम्: slender-waisted
• क्षीण-मध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रिवली-मध्य-राजिताम्: adorned at the middle with three folds (of skin)
• त्रिवली-मध्य-राजिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिवली (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + राजित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

• स्थल-पद्म-प्रतीकाश-पाद-युग्म-विराजिताम्: shining with a pair of feet resembling land-lotuses
• स्थल-पद्म-प्रतीकाश-पाद-युग्म-विराजिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतीकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विराजित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse meditatively portrays Pārvatī’s auspicious, embodied beauty as a saguna manifestation—supporting bhakti and dhyāna by giving the devotee a pure, sacred form through which grace and śakti are contemplated.

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

In Śaiva tradition, devotion moves through sacred forms: as the Liṅga is a revered saguna support for realizing Shiva, so Pārvatī’s described form becomes a devotional support for contemplating Śiva-Śakti unity within the Purāṇic narrative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use the description for dhyāna (visualization) of the Goddess while reciting Shaiva mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) or Devi-focused prayer, cultivating purity, steadiness, and loving devotion.