Shloka 30

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

रुद्रं नत्वाब्रवीत्सर्वं स्ववृत्तङ्गर्ववान्मुनिः । मत्वात्मानं महात्मानं स्वप्रभुञ्च स्मरञ्जयम्

Transliteration

rudraṃ natvābravītsarvaṃ svavṛttaṅgarvavānmuniḥ | matvātmānaṃ mahātmānaṃ svaprabhuñca smarañjayam

Translation

Having bowed to Rudra, the sage—puffed up with pride in his own conduct—spoke out everything. Considering himself a great soul and remembering his own imagined supremacy, he sought victory.

Word by Word

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having bowed’

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; सर्व-शब्द (pronoun/adjective used substantively)

• स्व-वृत्तम्: his own story
• स्व-वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स्वस्य वृत्तम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• गर्ववान्: proud
• गर्ववान्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्ववत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having thought/considered’

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• महात्मानम्: a great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्म-समानाधिकरण; apposition to ‘आत्मानम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘महान् आत्मा’ (कर्मधारय)

• स्व-प्रभुम्: his own lord
• स्व-प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स्वस्य प्रभुः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘remembering’

• जयम्: victory
• जयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; (object of ‘स्मरन्’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

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

It highlights that outward reverence (bowing to Rudra) is incomplete if inner pride remains; in Shaiva Siddhanta, ego is a key bond (pāśa) that obstructs Shiva’s grace and true purification.

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

Saguna worship of Rudra/Liṅga is meant to soften ego through devotion and surrender; this verse warns that ritual gestures without humility can still be driven by self-importance rather than bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with an explicit sankalpa of humility, and reflect daily that Pati (Shiva) alone is the true Prabhu—countering the habit of self-assumed mastery.