Shloka 1

पार्वतीजन्मवर्णनम् / Description of Pārvatī’s Birth

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । अथ संस्मरतुर्भक्त्या दम्पती तौ भवाम्बिकाम् । प्रसूतिहेतवे तत्र देवकार्यार्थमादरात्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | atha saṃsmaraturbhaktyā dampatī tau bhavāmbikām | prasūtihetave tatra devakāryārthamādarāt

Translation

Brahmā said: Then that husband and wife, with devotion and reverent intent, remembered Bhavāmbikā there—so that conception might occur, for the sake of fulfilling the gods’ purpose.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; वक्तृ-निर्देश (speaker tag)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/now)

• संस्मरतुः: the two remembered
• संस्मरतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (by/with devotion)

• दम्पती: the couple (husband and wife)
• दम्पती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; युगल-निर्देश (the couple)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• भवाम्बिकाम्: Bhavāmbikā (Pārvatī)
• भवाम्बिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवा + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of remembering)

• प्रसूतिहेतवे: for the purpose of (her) birth
• प्रसूतिहेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूति + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (for the cause/purpose of birth)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• देवकार्यार्थम्: for the purpose of the gods’ work
• देवकार्यार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + कार्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (for the gods’ task/purpose)

• आदरात्: out of reverence
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (out of respect/earnestness)

Speaker

Brahmā

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents bhakti-yukta smaraṇa—devotional remembrance of the Divine Mother—as a sacred cause that aligns human intention (progeny) with a higher cosmic purpose (devakārya).

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

Although the verse names Bhavāmbikā (the saguna form of the Goddess), it reflects the Shiva Purana’s broader principle that grace flows through devoted contemplation of the manifest Divine—just as linga-worship centers the mind on Śiva’s accessible, worshipful form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Devotional smaraṇa (remembrance) and prayer with ādarā (reverence)—a focused mental worship akin to japa and dhyāna, performed with the intent of dharmic outcomes rather than mere desire.