Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 51

नन्दाव्रत-समाप्तिः तथा शङ्करस्य प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शनम्

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

Devanagari script

अथवा पूजयिष्यामि तमेव वृषभध्वजम् । मदीयतनया भक्त्या स्वयमेव यथा भवेत्

Transliteration

athavā pūjayiṣyāmi tameva vṛṣabhadhvajam | madīyatanayā bhaktyā svayameva yathā bhavet

Translation

Oder ich werde eben jenen Herrn verehren — Śiva, dessen Banner den Stier trägt — damit Er durch die Hingabe meiner Tochter aus eigenem Willen ihr Erwählter und Gemahl werde.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: Alternative conjunction (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• पूजयिष्यामि: I shall worship
• पूजयिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada; 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• वृषभध्वजम्: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म; object—apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य’ in usage as epithet; conventionally treated as compound name of Śiva

• मदीय-तनया: by/through my daughter
• मदीय-तनया: Karaṇa (करण; means/agentive instrument—‘through my daughter’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदीय (प्रातिपदिक) + तनया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; Karmadhāraya: ‘मदीया तनया’ = ‘my daughter’

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण; means—‘with devotion’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• स्वयम्: by himself/of his own accord
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; reflexive adverb ‘oneself’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• यथा: so that/as
• यथा: Prakāra (प्रकार; manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative/Modal conjunction (यथार्थक अव्यय) ‘so that/as’

• भवेत्: may become/may happen
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Daksha

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha
• Sati

FAQs

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

It highlights that Shiva’s grace is ultimately svatantra (independent): sincere bhakti and worship are offered, yet the fruition—Shiva’s acceptance and blessing—arises by His own will (svayam eva), not by human control.

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

The epithet Vṛṣabhadhvaja points to Saguna Shiva—Shiva approached through name, form, and symbols. In Shaiva practice this devotion is commonly expressed through Shiva-pūjā, including Linga worship, to invite Shiva’s gracious response.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse directly suggests pūjā (formal worship) performed with bhakti. A practical takeaway is regular Shiva worship with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a devotional discipline to seek Shiva’s anugraha (grace).