Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation

Devanagari script

पुनश्च पार्वती जाता देवप्रार्थनया शिवा । तपः कृत्वा सुविपुलं पुनश्शिवमुपागता

Transliteration

punaśca pārvatī jātā devaprārthanayā śivā | tapaḥ kṛtvā suvipulaṃ punaśśivamupāgatā

Translation

Und wiederum, auf das Flehen der Götter hin, wurde die Göttin Śivā als Pārvatī geboren. Nachdem sie überaus große Askesen vollbracht hatte, erlangte sie abermals den Herrn Śiva.

Word by Word

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pārvatī: Pārvatī
• pārvatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• jātā: was born/became
• jātā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + tā (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta; past passive participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘having been born/come to be’

• deva-prārthanayā: by the gods’ prayer
• deva-prārthanayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + prārthanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of the gods’ + ‘prayer’)

• śivā: Śivā (the auspicious goddess)
• śivā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name/epithet

• tapaḥ: austerity/penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā vibhakti (accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; object of gerund action

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-kṛdanta; gerund/absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having done’

• su-vipulam: very great/abundant
• su-vipulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying tapaḥ

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• upāgatā: approached/attained
• upāgatā: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√gam (धातु) + tā (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta; past active participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘having approached/attained’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śivā re-manifests as Pārvatī in response to the devas’ prayer, performs tapas, and reunites with Śiva—an archetype for divine grace responding to cosmic imbalance.

Significance: Models tapas and devotion culminating in Śiva-prāpti; inspires vrata/tapas traditions in Śaiva pilgrimage culture.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: deva-prārthanā prompting Śakti’s avatāra and restoration of cosmic order

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva principle that steadfast tapas (disciplined spiritual striving) joined with divine purpose culminates in the Lord’s grace—Śivā (the Goddess) manifests again as Pārvatī and re-attains Śiva, showing the inevitability of union between Śiva and His Śakti for cosmic order and liberation.

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

Pārvatī’s ‘attaining Śiva’ is classically approached through Saguna worship—devotion to Śiva in accessible form, especially the Śiva-liṅga—where concentrated bhakti and vrata-tapas mature into direct experience of the Lord’s presence and favor.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to tapas supported by bhakti: adopting a Śiva-vrata (especially Mahāśivarātri observance), japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and steady meditation on Śiva—practices traditionally strengthened by bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to Shaiva discipline.