Shloka 8

नन्दाव्रत-समाप्तिः तथा शङ्करस्य प्रत्यक्ष-दर्शनम्

Completion of the Nandā-vrata and Śiva’s Direct Appearance

Devanagari script

अथ प्राह महादेवस्सतीं सद्व्रतधारिणीम् । तामिच्छन्नपि भार्यार्थं तपश्चर्याफलप्रदः

Transliteration

atha prāha mahādevassatīṃ sadvratadhāriṇīm | tāmicchannapi bhāryārthaṃ tapaścaryāphalapradaḥ

Translation

Then Mahādeva—bestower of the fruit of tapas—spoke to Satī, steadfast in noble vows. Though He desired her as His wife, He addressed her in a way that preserves the sanctity and fulfillment of austerity.

Word by Word

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

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; (he said)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• सतीम्: Satī
• सतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object addressed)

• सत्-व्रत-धारिणीम्: the bearer of good vows
• सत्-व्रत-धारिणीम्: Karma (कर्म; विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिणी (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; धारिणी = णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (one who holds); विशेषणम्

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (her)

• इच्छन्: desiring
• इच्छन्: Karta (कर्ता; विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; (desiring)

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/अपवाद/समुच्चयार्थ (particle: even/also)

• भार्य-अर्थम्: for (as) a wife
• भार्य-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (accusative of purpose: for (as) a wife)

• तपश्चर्या-फल-प्रदः: giver of the fruit of austerities
• तपश्चर्या-फल-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता; विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपश्चर्या (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; प्रद = ‘giver’; विशेषणम् (giver of the fruit of austerity)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Mahadeva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights tapas as a means to invoke Śiva’s anugraha; pilgrimage and vrata are framed as tapas-bearing disciplines culminating in the Lord’s response.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the Lord who grants the fruit of tapas—while affirming Satī’s dharmic steadfastness; divine union is shown as aligned with vow, purity, and spiritual merit rather than mere desire.

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

By calling Śiva the giver of austerity’s fruits, it points to Saguna Śiva as the accessible, grace-bestowing Lord whom devotees worship (including via Liṅga) to sanctify discipline (vrata) and receive spiritual fruition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse emphasizes vrata and tapas: undertake disciplined worship of Śiva with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī), supported by purity and restraint; this is the core practice implied even without explicit mention of bhasma or rudrākṣa.