Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

वह्निप्रवेशं कुर्वत्याः पार्वत्यास्तत्प्रभावतः । बभूव तत्क्षणं सद्यो वह्नि श्चंदनपंकवत्

Transliteration

vahnipraveśaṃ kurvatyāḥ pārvatyāstatprabhāvataḥ | babhūva tatkṣaṇaṃ sadyo vahni ścaṃdanapaṃkavat

Translation

As Pārvatī entered the fire, by the power of her divine radiance, that very instant the fire at once became like cool sandalwood-paste—harmless and soothing.

Word by Word

• वह्नि-प्रवेशम्: entry into the fire
• वह्नि-प्रवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• कुर्वत्याः: of (her) doing
• कुर्वत्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive Singular

• पार्वत्याः: of Pārvatī
• पार्वत्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive Singular

• तत्-प्रभावतः: due to her power/that influence
• तत्-प्रभावतः: Hetu/Apādāna (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative Singular; हेतौ (cause)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘became’

• तत्-क्षणम्: that very moment
• तत्-क्षणम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular (time-accusative)

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (immediacy adverb)

• वह्निः: the fire
• वह्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• चन्दन-पङ्कवत्: like sandal paste
• चन्दन-पङ्कवत्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त उपमानवाचक विशेषण; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; here used as predicate-comparison; ‘like sandal-paste/mud’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It shows the supremacy of Śakti’s purity and divine tapas: when consciousness is established in Shiva-oriented sanctity, even destructive forces (fire) lose their power to bind or harm, becoming instruments of purification.

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

Pārvatī’s fearlessness reflects complete alignment with Saguna Shiva’s grace and order (anugraha). In Linga-worship, the devotee seeks that same sanctifying presence where worldly heat—suffering, passion, karma—becomes cool and pacified by Shiva’s auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests inner tapas supported by Shiva-bhakti: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplative purification (like Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder of burning away impurity), cultivating a mind that remains unshaken amid ‘fire-like’ trials.