Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

नारदोऽपि परं प्रीतो ध्यायञ्छिवमनन्यधीः । विचचार महीं पश्यञ्छिवतीर्थान्यभीक्ष्णशः

Transliteration

nārado'pi paraṃ prīto dhyāyañchivamananyadhīḥ | vicacāra mahīṃ paśyañchivatīrthānyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ

Translation

Auch Nārada, von höchster Freude erfüllt und mit ungeteiltem Geist in die Meditation über Śiva versenkt, wanderte über die Erde und schaute immer wieder die heiligen Tīrthas Śivas.

Word by Word

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (नारद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक; particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); sense: ‘also/even’

• param: exceedingly/very
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) used adverbially; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (प्रीत; √prī धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhyāyan: meditating
• dhyāyan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (ध्यै धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ananya-dhīḥ: with unwavering/undivided mind
• ananya-dhīḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananya (अनन्य) + dhī (धी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi-like sense ‘one whose thought is undivided’, but form is karmadhāraya on dhī

• vicacāra: wandered
• vicacāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + car (चर् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mahīm: the earth
• mahīm: Karma (कर्म; object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (मही प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• paśyan: seeing
• paśyan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु; paśyati)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śiva-tīrthāni: Śiva’s sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• śiva-tīrthāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव) + tīrtha (तीर्थ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• abhīkṣṇaśaḥ: repeatedly, again and again
• abhīkṣṇaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhīkṣṇaśas (अभीक्ष्णशस् अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Nārada’s earth-wandering to behold Śiva-tīrthas anticipates later site-specific glorifications; here it functions as a template for tīrtha-yātrā as bhakti-sādhana.

Significance: Establishes ‘darśana of Śiva-tīrthas’ as a repeated (abhīkṣṇaśaḥ) devotional discipline that stabilizes ananya-dhī (single-pointedness).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva path of inner absorption (single-pointed dhyāna on Śiva) combined with outer sanctification through darśana of Śiva-tīrthas, showing how devotion ripens into steady God-remembrance and purity.

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

Śiva-tīrthas are commonly centered on Śiva’s manifest presence—especially the Liṅga in temples—so Nārada’s repeated visits emphasize Saguna worship as a support for continuous meditation and ananya-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady dhyāna with an undivided mind (ananya-dhī), supported by regular tīrtha-yātrā/darśana of Śiva shrines; this pairs well with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined devotional conduct.