Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 53

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

जरद्गवारोहणमप्रशस्तं क्षमावतस्तस्य न दर्शनं च । संध्याप्रणामः क्वचिदेष धर्मः क्व भोजनं लोकविरुद्धमेतत्

Transliteration

jaradgavārohaṇamapraśastaṃ kṣamāvatastasya na darśanaṃ ca | saṃdhyāpraṇāmaḥ kvacideṣa dharmaḥ kva bhojanaṃ lokaviruddhametat

Translation

„Auf einem alten Stier zu reiten ist nicht rühmlich; ja, es ziemt sich nicht einmal, einen zu betrachten, der sich so als geduldig und tugendhaft ausgibt. Wo ist die Zucht der Sandhyā-Verneigungen zur Dämmerung? Und was ist dieses Essen, das den Sitten der Welt zuwiderläuft? All dies steht gegen das anerkannte Verhalten.“

Word by Word

• jarat-gavārohaṇam: mounting old cows
• jarat-gavārohaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jarat (प्रातिपदिक) + go (प्रातिपदिक) + ārohaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: jarat-gavām ārohaṇam = ‘mounting of old cows’

• apraśastam: improper, not commendable
• apraśastam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-praśasta (प्रातिपदिक; praśasta from √śaṃs/शंस्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (adjective) qualifying jarat-gavārohaṇam

• kṣamāvataḥ: of the forbearing one
• kṣamāvataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of the patient/forbearing one’

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular; pronoun ‘of him/that’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निषेध/negation)

• darśanam: seeing (meeting)
• darśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक; from √dṛś/दृश्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; ‘seeing/appearance/meeting’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय/and)

• saṃdhyā-praṇāmaḥ: twilight salutation
• saṃdhyā-praṇāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + praṇāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: saṃdhyāyāḥ praṇāmaḥ = ‘salutation at twilight’

• kvacit: sometimes
• kvacit: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल/देश-अव्यय): ‘somewhere/sometimes’

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• dharmaḥ: dharma, proper conduct
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kva: where?
• kva: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय): ‘where?’ (rhetorical)

• bhojanam: eating, food-intake
• bhojanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhuj/भुज्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• loka-viruddham: contrary to the world (socially improper)
• loka-viruddham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + viruddha (प्रातिपदिक; from √rudh/रुध् with vi-)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः: lokasya viruddham = ‘opposed to society/world’; adjective qualifying etat/bhojanam

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account to the sages at Naimisharanya, conveying a character’s censure within the battle narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It condemns hypocrisy—claiming virtues like kṣamā (forbearance) while living in a way that violates dharma—teaching that spiritual life must be consistent in conduct, discipline, and integrity.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana emphasizes purity of intention and disciplined living; this verse underscores that devotion to Saguna Shiva is not mere display but must be supported by right conduct (sadācāra) and regular sacred observances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular saṃdhyā-prayer with reverent praṇāma (bowing) and mindful restraint in food and habits—aligning daily discipline with devotion, as a foundation for Shiva-bhakti.