Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

कुमाराभिषेकवर्णनम् — Description of Kumāra’s Abhiṣeka

Consecration/Installation

Devanagari script

अथ शक्तिधरः स्कन्दौ दृष्ट्वा तौ पार्वतीशिवौ । अवरुह्य रथात्तूर्णं शिरसा प्रणनाम ह

Transliteration

atha śaktidharaḥ skandau dṛṣṭvā tau pārvatīśivau | avaruhya rathāttūrṇaṃ śirasā praṇanāma ha

Translation

Entonces Śaktidhara, al ver a Skanda y a aquellos dos—Pārvatī y Śiva—descendió presto de su carro y se postró, inclinando la cabeza con reverencia.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम (sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (discourse particle; then/now)

• शक्तिधरः: Śaktidhara (Skanda)
• शक्तिधरः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; √धृ (धातु) अच्/ण्वुल्-प्रायः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शक्तेः धरः)

• स्कन्दौ: the two (as) Skanda? / Skanda (dual form used for the pair)
• स्कन्दौ: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचनम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• पार्वती-शिवौ: Pārvatī and Śiva (the pair)
• पार्वती-शिवौ: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (समाहार/युगल-निर्देशे), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• अवरुह्य: having descended
• अवरुह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: अपादान (अपादानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम्

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb; quickly)

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रणनाम: bowed down
• प्रणनाम: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed/it is said
• ह: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; narrative emphasis)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Skanda

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti expressed as humble praṇāma: recognizing Śiva as Pati (supreme Lord) and Pārvatī as Śakti, the devotee approaches with surrender, inviting divine grace rather than asserting ego.

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

Although the scene is personal (Saguna) worship—bowing to Śiva and Pārvatī—the same inner posture is prescribed for Liṅga worship: approach the Lord with reverence, purity of intent, and recognition of Śiva as the source of auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice praṇāma and mental surrender before beginning worship—offer a respectful bow to Śiva (often with “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating humility as the foundation for japa, dhyāna, and pūjā.