Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

शंभोस्समीपे का योषिदेषा सर्वांगसुन्दरी । अनया किं तपस्तप्तं ममापि तपसोऽधिकम्

Transliteration

śaṃbhossamīpe kā yoṣideṣā sarvāṃgasundarī | anayā kiṃ tapastaptaṃ mamāpi tapaso'dhikam

Translation

„Wer ist diese Frau in der Nähe Śambhus, an jedem Glied vollkommene Schönheit? Welche Askese (tapas) hat sie geübt—scheinbar größer noch als meine—dass sie eine solche Nähe zum Herrn erlangte?“

Word by Word

• śaṃbhoḥ: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• samīpe: near/in the vicinity
• samīpe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• kā: who? (fem.)
• kā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (interrogative pronoun), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• yoṣit: woman
• yoṣit: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (demonstrative pronoun), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sarvāṅga-sundarī: beautiful in every limb
• sarvāṅga-sundarī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + sundarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (karmadhāraya-like determinative) ‘sarveṣu aṅgeṣu sundarī’ = ‘beautiful in all limbs’

• anayā: by her
• anayā: Karaṇa (करण/by her)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (interrogative), Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā/Prathamā, Ekavacana; here interrogative object ‘what?’

• tapaḥ: austerity/penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here as object with taptaṃ (understood)

• taptam: performed (as penance)
• taptam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु) + ta (क्त, Kta)
• Form: Kta-participle (past passive participle), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with tapaḥ

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (1st person pronoun), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta/particle

• tapasaḥ: of (my) penance
• tapasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• adhikam: greater/more
• adhikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; comparative sense ‘more/exceeding’

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that nearness to Śiva is not merely a result of personal spiritual effort (tapas) but ultimately a fruit of divine favor and inner worthiness—often expressed as devotion and humility—surpassing ego-based ascetic pride.

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

By focusing on being “near Śambhu,” the verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—approachable, relational, and bestowing grace. In Linga-worship too, the aim is intimate presence (sannidhya) through reverence, purity, and surrender rather than competition in austerities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is humility in sādhanā: perform tapas and japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion, and seek Śiva’s grace; external disciplines like bhasma and rudrākṣa support the inner attitude rather than replace it.