Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 51

उपमन्युतपः-निवारणप्रसङ्गः / Śiva restrains Upamanyu’s tapas (Śiva disguised as Indra)

Devanagari script

अथ शंभुः प्रसन्नात्मा दृष्ट्वा तस्य तपोमहः । पुनर्ददौ वरं दिव्यं मुनये ह्युपमन्यवे

Transliteration

atha śaṃbhuḥ prasannātmā dṛṣṭvā tasya tapomahaḥ | punardadau varaṃ divyaṃ munaye hyupamanyave

Translation

Entonces Śambhu, con el corazón sereno y propicio, al contemplar la grandeza de la austeridad de aquel sabio, volvió a conceder un don divino al muni Upamanyu.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तर (sequence marker)

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रसन्नात्मा: of pleased disposition
• प्रसन्नात्मा: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to शंभुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: प्रसन्नः आत्मा यस्य सः (one whose self/mind is pleased)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having seen’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपोमहः: the greatness of (his) austerity
• तपोमहः: Karma (कर्म/Object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तपसः महः (greatness/glory of austerity)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (adverb: again)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (वरम्)

• मुनये: to the sage
• मुनये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुवाचक निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• उपमन्यवे: to Upamanyu
• उपमन्यवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान; apposition to मुनये)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-निर्देश (proper noun)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Śadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Upamanyu

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): when devotion and disciplined tapas mature, the Lord becomes prasanna (gracious) and grants divine upliftment—showing that liberation-oriented blessings arise from sincere practice aligned to dharma.

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

Śambhu’s personal bestowal of a boon reflects Saguna Śiva responding to a devotee’s worship and austerity; in Shiva Purana theology, Linga-worship and bhakti are primary means by which the devotee encounters Śiva’s compassionate, boon-giving presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse endorses tapas guided by devotion—such as vrata (vowed discipline), japa of Śiva-mantras (notably the Panchākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and steady meditation on Śiva—performed with purity and perseverance to invite Śiva’s grace.