Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मलोकं जगामाथ शिवस्मरणसन्मतिः । शिवतत्त्वं विशेषेण ज्ञातुमिच्छुस्स नारदः

Transliteration

brahmalokaṃ jagāmātha śivasmaraṇasanmatiḥ | śivatattvaṃ viśeṣeṇa jñātumicchussa nāradaḥ

Translation

Daraufhin begab sich Nārada—dessen Geist fest dem Gedenken an Śiva zugewandt war—nach Brahmaloka, in dem Wunsch, das wahre Prinzip (tattva) Śivas in besonderer und genauer Weise zu erkennen.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: to Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्म-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः लोकः (world of Brahmā)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक-निपात (then/now)

• शिव-स्मरण-सन्मतिः: one devotedly resolved on remembering Śiva
• शिव-स्मरण-सन्मतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य स्मरणे सन्मतिः (one whose good resolve is in remembering Śiva)

• शिव-तत्त्वम्: the principle/reality of Śiva
• शिव-तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य तत्त्वम्

• विशेषेण: especially; in particular
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभाव (क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः); प्रकारवाचक (especially)

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to know)

• इच्छुः: desiring; wishing
• इच्छुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु) → इच्छु (प्रातिपदिक-कृदन्त)
• Form: उ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (desiderative adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada
• Brahma
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva-smaraṇa (steady remembrance of Śiva) as the inner qualification for receiving higher knowledge—Śiva-tattva—leading the seeker toward liberation through the grace-oriented Shaiva path.

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

Although the verse speaks of Śiva-tattva (ultimate reality), it frames the approach through devotion and remembrance—typical of Saguna upāsanā (such as Liṅga-worship) that matures into insight into Śiva’s supreme principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sustained Śiva-smaraṇa—practically supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with traditional aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to stabilize devotion and contemplation.