Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 56

अनरण्यसुता–पिप्पलादचरितम् / The Episode of Anaraṇya’s Daughter and Sage Pippalāda

Devanagari script

शैलेन्द्र कथितं सर्वमितिहासं पुरातनम् । दम्पत्योश्च तयोः प्रीत्या श्रुतं ते परमादरात्

Transliteration

śailendra kathitaṃ sarvamitihāsaṃ purātanam | dampatyośca tayoḥ prītyā śrutaṃ te paramādarāt

Translation

„O Śailendra, so hast du mit höchster Ehrfurcht die ganze uralte heilige Erzählung vernommen, die von Śailendra gesprochen wurde—wie auch jenes göttliche Paar sie in gegenseitiger Liebe und Zuneigung hörte.“

Word by Word

• शैलेन्द्र: O lord of mountains
• शैलेन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शैलानाम् इन्द्रः = lord of mountains); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• कथितम्: told; narrated
• कथितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• सर्वम्: all; entire
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• इतिहासम्: legend; narrative history
• इतिहासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• पुरातनम्: ancient
• पुरातनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• दम्पत्योः: of the couple
• दम्पत्योः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m., dual-form noun), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• प्रीत्या: with affection; out of love
• प्रीत्या: Hetu/Karaṇa (करण/Instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (singular)

• परमादरात्: from great respect; with utmost reverence
• परमादरात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्मधारय (परमः आदरः = highest respect); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It elevates śravaṇa (reverent listening) of sacred Shaiva narratives as a bhakti-practice: hearing with love and respect purifies the mind and turns the heart toward Pati (Shiva), the liberating Lord.

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

By highlighting loving attention to Shiva-related kathā, it supports Saguna-upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva through form, names, and divine stories—an accessible doorway that matures into steadiness in worship, including Liṅga-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Kathā-śravaṇa with paramādara—listening to Shiva Purana recitation with devotion—serves as a practical sādhanā; it can be paired with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before or after the hearing.