Shloka 42

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

शीते जलांतरे शश्वत्तस्थौ सा भक्तितत्परा । अनाहारातपत्तत्र नीहारे निशासु च

Transliteration

śīte jalāṃtare śaśvattasthau sā bhaktitatparā | anāhārātapattatra nīhāre niśāsu ca

Translation

In bitter cold she stood ceaselessly in the midst of the waters, wholly intent on bhakti. There she performed tapas without food, enduring the night-mist as well.

Word by Word

• śīte: in the cold
• śīte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially = 'in cold (season/condition)'

• jala-antare: in the water / in mid-water
• jala-antare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'in the midst of water'

• śaśvat: constantly, always
• śaśvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śaśvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tasthau: stood, remained
• tasthau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धाातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• bhakti-tatparā: devotion-intent
• bhakti-tatparā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 7th/locative-tatpurusha sense: 'intent on devotion' (भक्तौ तत्परा)

• an-āhāra-ātapat: (there was) fasting and heat-austerity
• an-āhāra-ātapat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an (नञ्) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ātapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्-पूर्वपद; द्वन्द्व (समाहार): 'fasting and heat (austerity)'; sandhi form in text: anāhārātapat

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• nīhāre: in the mist/fog
• nīhāre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• niśāsu: in the nights
• niśāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Pārvatī’s unwavering tapas as bhakti in action—steadfast endurance that purifies the pashu (bound soul) and turns the mind toward Pati (Śiva), showing that sincere devotion matures into divine grace.

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

Pārvatī’s disciplined devotion exemplifies Saguna-Śiva upāsanā: focused love and self-restraint directed to Lord Śiva as the accessible Lord who bestows anugraha (grace), the same spirit that underlies Linga worship with vrata, purity, and single-pointed remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse supports vrata-style practice: fasting (anāhāra), night devotion (niśā), and patient endurance—paired in Shaiva practice with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplative steadiness.