Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

नन्दाव्रत-समाप्तिः तथा शङ्करस्य प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शनम्

Completion of the Nandā-vrata and Śiva’s Direct Appearance

Devanagari script

रेजे सती हरं प्राप्य स्निग्धभिन्नांजनप्रभा । चन्द्राभ्याशेऽभ्रलेखेव स्फटिकोज्ज्वलवर्ष्मणः

Transliteration

reje satī haraṃ prāpya snigdhabhinnāṃjanaprabhā | candrābhyāśe'bhralekheva sphaṭikojjvalavarṣmaṇaḥ

Translation

Nachdem Satī Hara (Herrn Śiva) erlangt hatte, erstrahlte sie; ihr Teint glich dem sanften Glanz frisch geriebenen Añjana. Wie ein zarter Wolkenstrich neben dem Mond erschien sie, während seine kristallhelle Gestalt in Licht aufleuchtete.

Word by Word

• reje: shone
• reje: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rāj (राज् धातु)
• Form: लिट् लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (reje)

• satī: Satī
• satī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• haram: Hara (Śiva)
• haram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• prāpya: having attained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (प्र+आप् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having attained/obtained)

• snigdha-bhinna-añjana-prabhā: having the lustre of glossy, split collyrium
• snigdha-bhinna-añjana-prabhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhinna (कृदन्त; √bhid भिद्) + añjana (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (añjanasya prabhā; snigdha-bhinna = विशेषणसमुच्चय)

• candra-abhyāśe: near the moon
• candra-abhyāśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (candrasya abhyāśaḥ)

• abhra-lekhā: a streak of cloud
• abhra-lekhā: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhra (प्रातिपदिक) + lekhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (abhrasya lekhā)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• sphaṭika-ujjvala-varṣmaṇaḥ: of (him) whose body was crystal-bright
• sphaṭika-ujjvala-varṣmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine/neuter stem varṣman treated as masculine here), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (ujjvalaṃ varṣma yasya; sphaṭika-ujjvala = विशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the auspicious blossoming of Satī’s splendour upon reaching Śiva, symbolizing Śiva-Śakti harmony—where devotion and grace culminate in inner radiance and steadiness of the heart.

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

By describing Śiva’s crystal-bright, visible splendour, the text supports Saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Śiva with form—which in Śaiva Siddhānta purifies the soul and leads it toward Śiva’s supreme reality, also revered through the Liṅga as an accessible focus of worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Śiva’s ujjvala (luminous) form or Liṅga-jyoti while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating purity and devotional absorption.