Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । ततोकार्षीत्स संस्कारं तस्य प्रीत्याऽखिलं यथा । शिवबालस्य देवर्षे वेदोक्तविधिना परम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tatokārṣītsa saṃskāraṃ tasya prītyā'khilaṃ yathā | śivabālasya devarṣe vedoktavidhinā param

Translation

Brahmā sprach: Daraufhin vollzog er, o göttlicher Weiser, aus Liebe für jenes Kind—Śivas eigenen Knaben—alle vorgeschriebenen Saṃskāras vollständig, nach der erhabenen, in den Veden gelehrten Ordnung.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• अकार्षीत्: performed / did
• अकार्षीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense not intended here (simple past ‘did’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• संस्कारम्: the rite
• संस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrument/cause)

• अखिलम्: entirely / completely
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of implied कर्म ‘कार्यं/विधिं’ or of ‘संस्कारम्’ as ‘entirely’)—adverbial accusative possible

• यथा: as / according to
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक/उपमानवाचक अव्यय (as/according as)

• शिवबालस्य: of Śiva’s child
• शिवबालस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य बालः)

• देवर्षे: O divine sage
• देवर्षे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• वेदोक्तविधिना: by the procedure prescribed in the Veda
• वेदोक्तविधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त from वच्) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदेन उक्तः विधिः) → वेदोक्तविधि; करण (instrument)

• परम्: supremely / excellent
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘excellent/supreme’ (qualifying the rite/procedure)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that devotion to Shiva expresses itself through dharma: even divine events are sanctified by proper saṃskāras performed with love and in accordance with Vedic injunctions, showing harmony between bhakti and sacred order.

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

By calling the child “Shiva’s,” the verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s accessible, familial presence in sacred history; the Vedic rites become an outward form of reverence that aligns household and ritual life with Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to performing prescribed rites with purity and devotion (vedokta-vidhi), supported by Shaiva discipline—regular japa of Shiva’s name/mantra and worship done according to scripture rather than mere impulse.