Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

वैवाहिकानुष्ठानसमापनं दानप्रशंसा च / Completion of Wedding Rites and Praise of Gifts

Dāna

Devanagari script

अथ तास्तौ समानीय दम्पती जनशंकरौ । वासालयम्महादिव्यं भवाचारं व्यधुर्मुदा

Transliteration

atha tāstau samānīya dampatī janaśaṃkarau | vāsālayammahādivyaṃ bhavācāraṃ vyadhurmudā

Translation

Dann wurden die beiden—Śiva und Pārvatī, das selige göttliche Paar, das allen Wesen Heil und Glück verheißt—dorthin geleitet. In Freude richteten sie eine überaus herrliche Wohnstatt her und begründeten die rechte heilige Lebensordnung, wie sie Bhava (Herr Śiva) geziemt.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/प्रकरणसूचक (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तौ: those two (the couple)
• तौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• समानीय: having brought (together)
• समानीय: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Converbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having brought/assembled’

• दम्पती: the couple
• दम्पती: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; दम्पती-शब्द (husband and wife as a pair)

• जनशंकरौ: the benefactors of the people (the auspicious pair)
• जनशंकरौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन-शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: जनः शंकरः इव (people’s benefactors/auspicious ones)

• वासालयम्: the residence
• वासालयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास-आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: वासस्य आलयः (dwelling-place)

• महा: very great
• महा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद/उपसर्गसदृश; विशेषणार्थे (as intensifier: great)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवाचारम्: the rite/observance of Bhava (Śiva)
• भवाचारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव-आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भवस्य आचारः (Śiva’s customary rite/observance)

• व्यधुः: they performed
• व्यधुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘they performed/did’

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument—manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भाववाचक (with joy)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse functions as a ‘sannidhi’ narrative—Śiva-Śakti entering a prepared space and establishing bhavācāra (Śaiva propriety).

Significance: Teaches that honoring the divine couple and establishing bhavācāra in one’s dwelling/community invites auspiciousness (śaṅkara) and stabilizes dharma.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva and Pārvatī as the archetype of auspicious, dharmic living—showing that divine grace is supported by right order (ācāra) and a sanctified environment, aligning life toward Śiva (Pati) as the liberating Lord.

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

By emphasizing bhavācāra—conduct befitting Bhava—it points to saguna worship expressed through daily discipline: establishing a pure dwelling and devotional routine that supports Linga-upāsanā and reverence for Śiva’s manifest presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Create a clean, dedicated worship space and follow Śaiva ācāra: daily Śiva-pūjā (including simple abhiṣeka), japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and maintaining purity and devotion in household life.