Shloka 12

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

हिमशैलगुहायां हि मुनिस्तपति नारदः । मनसोद्दिश्य विश्वेशं महासंयमवान्दृढः

Transliteration

himaśailaguhāyāṃ hi munistapati nāradaḥ | manasoddiśya viśveśaṃ mahāsaṃyamavāndṛḍhaḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, in einer Höhle des Himalaya vollzog der Weise Nārada Askese; fest gegründet in großer Selbstzucht richtete er seinen Geist nach innen auf Viśveśa, den Herrn des Universums.

Word by Word

• हिम: snow
• हिम: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रातिपदिक-आधार (stem)

• शैल: mountain
• शैल: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रातिपदिक-आधार (stem)

• गुहायाम्: in the cave of the snow-mountain
• गुहायाम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative) = हिम-शैल-गुहा

• हि: indeed
• हि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपति: performs austerity / heats himself
• तपति: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); मुनिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धः (apposition)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• उद्दिश्य: having directed (his mind) toward
• उद्दिश्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), क्रियापूर्वकत्व (prior action)

• विश्वेशम्: the Lord of the universe
• विश्वेशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः = विश्वस्य ईशः (Lord of the universe)

• महासंयमवान्: greatly self-controlled
• महासंयमवान्: कर्ता (Karta; adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + संयमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (mahā + saṃyamavān)

• दृढः: firm, steadfast
• दृढः: कर्ता (Karta; adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The epithet Viśveśa/Viśvanātha evokes Kāśī, where Śiva is famed as Lord of the Universe granting taraka-upadeśa at death; this verse’s ‘Viśveśa’ dhyāna naturally aligns with that sthala-tradition though the immediate narrative is Himalayan tapas.

Significance: Dhyāna of Viśveśa is held to confer inner steadiness and Śiva’s grace; in Kāśī-tradition, remembrance of Viśvanātha is linked with liberation (mokṣa) and fearlessness at the time of death.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada
• Vishvesha

FAQs

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

The verse presents a Shaiva model of sādhana: intense tapas supported by saṃyama (self-restraint) and one-pointed inner contemplation of Viśveśa (Śiva), showing that liberation-oriented practice is rooted in disciplined mind and devotion to Pati (the Lord).

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

Although no outer Liṅga is described here, the practice is Saguna-upāsanā: Nārada fixes the mind on Viśveśa as the personal Lord. In Shaiva Siddhānta, such focused remembrance (smaraṇa/dhyāna) complements external Liṅga worship and ripens the soul for Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests dhyāna with strong saṃyama—steady inner fixation on Śiva—often supported in Shaiva practice by mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with austerity, simplicity, and disciplined senses.