Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

दक्षस्य तपः तथा जगदम्बायाः प्रत्यक्षता — Dakṣa’s Austerities and the Direct Manifestation of Jagadambā

Devanagari script

मारुताशी निराहारो जलाहारी च पर्णभुक् । एवं निनाय तं कालं चिंतयन्तां जगन्मयीम्

Transliteration

mārutāśī nirāhāro jalāhārī ca parṇabhuk | evaṃ nināya taṃ kālaṃ ciṃtayantāṃ jaganmayīm

Translation

Mal lebte sie von Luft, mal fastete sie völlig, mal nährte sie sich nur von Wasser, und mal aß sie lediglich Blätter—so verbrachte Satī, die Verkörperung des ganzen Universums, jene Zeit in unerschütterlicher Betrachtung (des Herrn Śiva).

Word by Word

• मारुताशी: air-eating; living on air
• मारुताशी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मारुत-आशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; तत्पुरुष—'मारुतम् आश्नाति' (one who subsists on air)

• निराहारः: without food
• निराहारः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; तत्पुरुष—'आहारः नास्ति यस्य' (without food)

• जलाहारी: water-subsisting
• जलाहारी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल-आहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; तत्पुरुष—'जलम् आहारः यस्य'

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पर्णभुक्: leaf-eating
• पर्णभुक्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्ण-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; तत्पुरुष—'पर्णं भुङ्क्ते' (leaf-eater)

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• एवम्: क्रिया-विशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• निनाय: passed/spent (time)
• निनाय: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular perfect

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally with 'कालम्'

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• चिन्तयन्ताम्: meditating upon/pondering
• चिन्तयन्ताम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular feminine; qualifies 'जगन्मयीम्'

• जगन्मयीम्: the World-embodied (Goddess)
• जगन्मयीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-मयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular; तत्पुरुष—'जगत् मयी' (pervading/consisting of the world)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Satī’s graded austerities—air, fasting, water, and leaves—as an outward discipline supporting inner steadiness (cintā) on Śiva, showing that true tapas culminates in unwavering God-centered contemplation.

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

Although the verse emphasizes meditation, its context is devotion to Śiva as the approachable Lord (Saguna), for whom disciplined vows and focused remembrance prepare the devotee for deeper worship—often expressed in the Purāṇa through liṅga-pūjā, japa, and dhyāna.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A vrata-like discipline: regulated fasting (upavāsa), simplicity of diet, and sustained dhyāna/japa on Śiva—commonly paired in Shaiva practice with the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and observances such as Mahāśivarātri.