Shloka 12

पार्वत्याः तपः—हिमालयादिभिः उपदेशः / Pārvatī’s Austerity and Counsel from Himālaya and Others

Devanagari script

विरक्तोसौ महादेवो येन दग्धा रुषा स्मरः । तं तोषयामि तपसा शंकरं भक्तवत्सलम्

Transliteration

viraktosau mahādevo yena dagdhā ruṣā smaraḥ | taṃ toṣayāmi tapasā śaṃkaraṃ bhaktavatsalam

Translation

He is that dispassionate Mahādeva by whose wrath Smara (Kāma) was burnt to ashes. By austerity I seek to please that Śaṅkara, the One who is tenderly gracious to His devotees.

Word by Word

• विरक्तः: detached/dispassionate
• विरक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virakta (धातु: vi-raj/viraj ‘to be detached’)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘detached’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (महादेवः)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; निर्देशार्थक-सर्वनाम

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् देवः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-प्रयोगः (relative pronoun)

• दग्धः: burnt
• दग्धः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘burnt’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (स्मरः)

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ruṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; साधन/भाव-करणम्

• स्मरः: Smara (Kāma)
• स्मरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तोषयामि: I please
• तोषयामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-भावे (causative sense) ‘I please’

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भक्त-वत्सलम्: loving to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (भक्तेषु वत्सलः = affectionate to devotees); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (शंकरम्)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāmadeva-dahana (burning of Smara by Śiva’s wrath)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Smara (Kama)

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as virakta (detached) and the destroyer of lust (Kāma), teaching that liberation arises when desire is purified and surrendered; Parvatī’s tapas shows that grace is won through disciplined devotion to Pati, the Lord.

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

Though Śiva is beyond attributes, the verse approaches Him as Saguna—Śaṅkara, Bhaktavatsala—who can be pleased through worship; in practice this aligns with Linga-upāsanā where the devotee offers tapas, japa, and pūjā to invoke the Lord’s compassionate presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Tapas as steady sādhanā—Pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), Linga-pūjā with bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa, and sense-restraint aimed at overcoming kāma and cultivating devotion.