Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

गिरिजातपः-परीक्षा तथा सप्तर्षि-आह्वानम्

Girijā’s Austerity-Test and the Summoning of the Seven Sages

Devanagari script

इत्थं नारदसद्वृत्तिर्विश्रुत्ता शैलकन्यके । अन्यां शृणु हि तद्वृत्तिं वैराग्यकरणीं नृणाम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ nāradasadvṛttirviśruttā śailakanyake | anyāṃ śṛṇu hi tadvṛttiṃ vairāgyakaraṇīṃ nṛṇām

Translation

Thus, O daughter of the mountain, the well-known account concerning Nārada has been related. Now listen to another such account—one that awakens dispassion in people.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• नारद-सद्वृत्तिः: Nārada’s good conduct
• नारद-सद्वृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक) + सद्वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• विश्रुत्ता: well-known
• विश्रुत्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु)
• Form: भूतकृत्/कृदन्त (past participle sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण to 'सद्वृत्तिः'

• शैल-कन्यके: O daughter of the mountain
• शैल-कन्यके: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण to 'वृत्तिम्'

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्-वृत्तिम्: that conduct/account
• तत्-वृत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• वैराग्य-करणीम्: producing dispassion
• वैराग्य-करणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + करणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण to 'वृत्तिम्'

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse frames Purāṇic narration as a sādhanā: Shiva signals that the coming account is meant to generate vairāgya (detachment), a key inner qualification for bhakti and liberation in Shaiva thought.

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

By teaching Pārvatī through stories, Shiva functions as Saguna Guru who uses narrative to turn the mind away from worldly fixation and toward Shiva-bhakti—an inner orientation essential for meaningful Linga worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) with contemplation that yields vairāgya; paired in Shaiva practice with japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to stabilize detachment and devotion.