Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

सरित्सरस्तडागादिसंपर्कशिशिरानिलाः । तत्र तत्र निषण्णाभ्यां शिवाभ्यां सफलीकृताः

Transliteration

saritsarastaḍāgādisaṃparkaśiśirānilāḥ | tatra tatra niṣaṇṇābhyāṃ śivābhyāṃ saphalīkṛtāḥ

Translation

Die kühlen Lüfte, erquicklich durch die Berührung mit Flüssen, Seen und Teichen, wurden hier und dort wahrhaft segensreich durch die beiden Glückverheißenden, Śiva und seine Śivā, die beieinander saßen.

Word by Word

• सरित्-सरस्-तडाग-आदि-संपर्क-शिशिर-अनिलाः: cool breezes due to contact with rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.
• सरित्-सरस्-तडाग-आदि-संपर्क-शिशिर-अनिलाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + सरस् + तडाग + आदि + संपर्क + शिशिर + अनिल (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास सहित): ‘सरित्सरस्तडागादीनां संपर्केण शिशिराः अनिलाः’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तत्र: here and there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्त-देशवाचक (repeated for distributive sense)

• निषण्णाभ्याम्: by the two who were seated
• निषण्णाभ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-षद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘निषण्ण’ (seated) ; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, अत्र पुं/स्त्री-द्वयार्थे

• शिवाभ्याम्: by the two Śivas (Śiva and Śivā)
• शिवाभ्याम्: करण (Instrument; agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• सफलीकृताः: were made fruitful
• सफलीकृताः: क्रिया (Predicate in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स-फलि-√कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘सफलीकृत’ (made fruitful); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Darśana of Śiva-Śakti together is framed as intrinsically ‘saphala’ (fruitful), implying merit accrues through proximity (saṅga) to the divine couple rather than through place-specific tīrtha alone.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that nature becomes spiritually “fulfilled” when permeated by the presence of Pati (Śiva) with Śakti (Śivā); their seated togetherness signifies the harmonized reality in which grace (anugraha) makes even ordinary experiences—like a cooling breeze—carry liberating auspiciousness.

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

The verse points to Saguna Śiva’s manifest, approachable presence: just as a sacred place becomes charged by Śiva-Śakti, the Liṅga is worshipped as the tangible seat of Śiva’s grace, where the devotee experiences sanctification and inner cooling (śānti).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva with Śivā as the source of śānti while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") in a clean, cool, natural setting (near water if possible), offering simple worship to a Liṅga with devotion (bhakti) and steadiness (dhyāna).