Shloka 47

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

प्रथमं फलभोगेन द्वितीयं पर्णभोजनैः । तपः प्रकुर्वती देवी क्रमान्निन्येऽमिताः समाः

Transliteration

prathamaṃ phalabhogena dvitīyaṃ parṇabhojanaiḥ | tapaḥ prakurvatī devī kramānninye'mitāḥ samāḥ

Translation

Zuerst erhielt sich die Göttin Pārvatī durch den Genuss von Früchten; in der zweiten Stufe aß sie nur noch Blätter. So vollzog sie Tapas in stetiger Ordnung und Zucht und durchmaß unermessliche Jahre der Askese, indem sie ihr ganzes Wesen auf das Erlangen des Herrn Śiva, des höchsten Pati, ausrichtete.

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first (stage)
• प्रथमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; adverbial accusative/nom. used as ‘first(ly)’

• फल-भोगेन: by eating fruits
• फल-भोगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental (करण)

• द्वितीयम्: second (stage)
• द्वितीयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; adverbial accusative/nom. used as ‘second(ly)’

• पर्ण-भोजनैः: by (subsisting on) leaf-eating
• पर्ण-भोजनैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (करण)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of action

• प्रकुर्वती: performing
• प्रकुर्वती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘doing/performing’

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; subject apposition

• क्रमात्: gradually, in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), adverb; ‘in order/gradually’

• निन्ये: she spent/led (through)
• निन्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect ‘led/spent’

• अमिताः: immeasurable, countless
• अमिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; qualifies ‘years’

• समाः: years
• समाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; object of ‘spent’ (time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents tapas as a graded, disciplined purification of body and mind, where devotion becomes steady and ego-driven desire is refined into single-pointed yearning for Śiva (Pati). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, such tapas supports the thinning of pāśa (bondage) and prepares the soul (paśu) for Śiva’s grace.

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

Pārvatī’s austerity is directed to attaining Śiva in a personal, worshipful manner (Saguna devotion), which is the devotional foundation for Linga-upāsanā—approaching the transcendent Nirguna reality through a sacred, accessible form and steadfast practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is a moderated vrata (fasting discipline) done in stages—paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple Śiva-pūjā—emphasizing consistency over extremity.