Shloka 25

वराङ्ग्याः सुतजन्म-उत्पातवर्णनम् | Birth of Varāṅgī’s Son and the Description of Portents

Utpātas

Devanagari script

शतवर्षं जलं प्राश्नञ्च्छतवर्षं च वायुभुक् । शतवर्ष जले तिष्ठञ्च्छतं च स्थंडिलेऽतपत्

Transliteration

śatavarṣaṃ jalaṃ prāśnañcchatavarṣaṃ ca vāyubhuk | śatavarṣa jale tiṣṭhañcchataṃ ca sthaṃḍile'tapat

Translation

For a hundred years she subsisted on water alone; for another hundred years she lived on air alone. For a hundred years she stood immersed in water, and for yet another hundred she performed austerities upon the bare ground.

Word by Word

• शतवर्षम्: for a hundred years
• शतवर्षम्: Kaaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि (duration)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• प्राश्नन्: eating/drinking
• प्राश्नन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• शतवर्षम्: for a hundred years
• शतवर्षम्: Kaaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• वायुभुक्: air-eater (living on air)
• वायुभुक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (agent noun) — ‘वायुम् भुङ्क्ते इति’

• शतवर्षम्: for a hundred years
• शतवर्षम्: Kaaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• शतम्: a hundred (years)
• शतम्: Kaaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि (elliptic: years)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• स्थण्डिले: on bare ground
• स्थण्डिले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अतपत्: did austerity; practiced penance
• अतपत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It portrays Pārvatī’s unwavering tapas—progressively renouncing bodily supports—to purify the mind and senses, making her fit for Śiva’s grace (anugraha) and the highest union grounded in devotion and discipline.

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

Such austerity exemplifies single-pointed bhakti toward Saguna Śiva (the Lord approached with form and qualities). In Linga-worship, the same principle applies: steadiness, purity, and self-restraint are offered as inner worship alongside outer ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined sādhana: regulated fasting (upavāsa), breath-restraint and prāṇa-awareness (vāyubhuk as mastery over appetite and prāṇa), and sustained japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—supported by simple living and purity.