Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

ग्रहीतुं तं मनश्चक्रुस्सर्वास्ता कृत्तिकाः स्त्रियः । वादो बभूव तासां तद्ग्रहणेच्छापरो मुने

Transliteration

grahītuṃ taṃ manaścakrussarvāstā kṛttikāḥ striyaḥ | vādo babhūva tāsāṃ tadgrahaṇecchāparo mune

Translation

Alle jene Kṛttikā-Frauen fassten den Entschluss, ihn für sich zu nehmen. O Weiser, da jede ihn an sich nehmen wollte, entstand unter ihnen ein Streit darüber, wer ihn nehmen solle.

Word by Word

• ग्रहीतुम्: to seize/take
• ग्रहीतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय; प्रयोजनार्थ

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘made’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रुः: made
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of स्त्रियः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृत्तिकाः: the Kṛttikās
• कृत्तिकाः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛttikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वादः: dispute
• वादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बभूव: arose/occurred
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्-ग्रहण-इच्छा-परः: centered on the desire to seize him
• तत्-ग्रहण-इच्छा-परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of वादः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक; √ग्रह् + ल्युट्) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तद्ग्रहणे इच्छायां परः’ = intent on the desire to take him

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Krittikas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how even exalted celestial beings can be moved by attachment and possessiveness; Shaiva teaching redirects such intense desire toward devotion to Shiva, the true Pati (Lord), so that emotion becomes purified into bhakti rather than conflict.

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

Within the Kumara narrative, events unfold under Shiva’s saguna līlā (divine play). Remembering that all beings and outcomes belong to Shiva helps devotees see beyond rivalry and offer the fruits of desire to Shiva—often symbolized through Linga worship as surrender to the Supreme Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pacify possessiveness through japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” mentally offering one’s desires to Shiva before worship (optionally with vibhūti/Tripuṇḍra), cultivating surrender instead of contention.