Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

यानि यानि च वस्त्राणि त्रैलोक्ये दुर्लभानि च । ददुस्तस्मै च ताः प्रेम्णा भूषणानि वराणि वै

Transliteration

yāni yāni ca vastrāṇi trailokye durlabhāni ca | dadustasmai ca tāḥ premṇā bhūṣaṇāni varāṇi vai

Translation

Welche Gewänder es auch gab—selbst in den drei Welten selten—und ebenso jene vortrefflichen Schmuckstücke, die schenkten sie ihm voller Liebe.

Word by Word

• yāni: which (things)
• yāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yāni: whatever (those)
• yāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• vastrāṇi: garments
• vastrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• trailokye: in the three worlds
• trailokye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: tri-loka (त्रिलोक) = 'three worlds'

• durlabhāni: rare, hard to obtain
• durlabhāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• daduḥ: they gave
• daduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धा॒तु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Dative (4 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• tāḥ: those (f.)
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• premṇā: with love
• premṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhūṣaṇāni: ornaments
• bhūṣaṇāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• varāṇi: excellent, choice
• varāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed through loving offerings—giving the best and rarest items—showing that devotion is measured by sincerity and reverence rather than mere display.

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

In Saguna worship, devotees honor the Lord (and His divine family) through upacāras such as vastra (clothing) and ābharaṇa (ornaments); the verse reflects this devotional mode of approaching Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is offering clean cloth (vastra) and sacred adornment in pūjā with a loving mind, while mentally dedicating the act to Shiva—often accompanied by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”