Shloka 23

Śatarudrīya-prabhāva and Rudra’s Supremacy (शतरुद्रीयप्रभावः)

Devanagari script

तमभ्ययाच्छैलसुता भूतस्त्रीगणसंवृता

Transliteration

tam abhyayāc chailasutā bhūtastrīgaṇasaṃvṛtā |

Translation

Nārada dit : Alors Umā, la Fille de la Montagne, entourée des épouses des bhūtas, s’approcha de lui. Elle portait une aiguière d’or remplie d’eau recueillie dans tous les tīrthas (gués sacrés). À l’égal de Śaṅkara lui-même, elle revêtait des vêtements semblables et observait un vœu d’excellence avec la même constance.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्ययाचत्: requested/begged (approached and asked)
• अभ्ययाचत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शैलसुता: the mountain's daughter (Pārvatī/Umā)
• शैलसुता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलसुता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भूतस्त्रीगणसंवृता: surrounded by groups of Bhūta-women
• भूतस्त्रीगणसंवृता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Umā (Pārvatī, Śailasutā)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Bhūtas
• wives of the Bhūtas (bhūtastrīgaṇa)
• tīrthas (sacred pilgrimage waters)
• golden kalaśa (water-pitcher)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic concord in spiritual life: Umā mirrors Śaṅkara’s discipline and attire, suggesting that true devotion is expressed through shared austerity, steadfast vows (vrata), and reverence for tīrthas—ethical steadiness rather than mere display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that Umā, accompanied by the wives of Śiva’s bhūta-attendants, comes to Śaṅkara carrying a golden pitcher filled with water collected from sacred tīrthas, and she is described as observing an excellent vow in the same manner as Śiva.