Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Description of the Sages’ Questions

Devanagari script

तद्गार्हस्थ्यं विशेषेण तथा लीलाः परा अपि । एतत्सर्वं तदन्यच्च कथनीयं त्वयाऽनघ

Transliteration

tadgārhasthyaṃ viśeṣeṇa tathā līlāḥ parā api | etatsarvaṃ tadanyacca kathanīyaṃ tvayā'nagha

Translation

Erläutere besonders Sein Leben als Hausherr und ebenso Seine erhabenen, transzendenten göttlichen Spiele. O Makelloser, all dies und alles Weitere, was dazu gehört, soll von dir erzählt werden.

Word by Word

• तत्-गार्हस्थ्यम्: that householder-life
• तत्-गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य गार्हस्थ्यम्)

• विशेषेण: particularly
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (instrumental used adverbially): ‘विशेषेण’ = ‘विशेषतः’

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकार (also/likewise)

• लीलाः: divine plays
• लीलाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• पराः: supreme / other
• पराः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘लीलाः’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्-अन्यत्: other than that / besides that
• तत्-अन्यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्मात् अन्यत्)

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

• कथनीयम्: should be narrated
• कथनीयम्: Vidheyam (विधेय/obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भविष्यत्कर्तव्यतार्थक/gerundive), ‘-नीय’ प्रत्यय; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘to be told’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (addressing Sūta Goswami)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asks for a complete narration of Shiva’s accessible, world-engaging life (as householder) alongside His supreme, transcendent līlā—showing that the Pati (Lord) can be approached through devotion to His manifest deeds while remaining beyond all limitation.

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

By requesting Shiva’s līlā and household life, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Shiva with qualities and stories—through which devotees naturally deepen reverence for the Liṅga as the stable, worshipful sign of the same Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and smaraṇa (remembrance) of Shiva’s līlā, traditionally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as one hears and contemplates the narration.