Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana) — “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य नारदस्य प्रजापतिः । सुप्रसन्नमनाः स्मृत्वा शंकरं प्रत्युवाच ह

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya nāradasya prajāpatiḥ | suprasannamanāḥ smṛtvā śaṃkaraṃ pratyuvāca ha

Translation

Sūta dit : Ayant ainsi entendu les paroles de Nārada, le Prajāpati (Brahmā), l’esprit grandement réjoui, se souvint de Śaṅkara et répondit ensuite.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः (quotative particle/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati (Brahmā)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुप्रसन्नमनाः: with a very pleased mind
• सुप्रसन्नमनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + प्रसन्न + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (one whose mind is very pleased); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having remembered)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Narrative frame: Brahmā, pleased, ‘remembers’ Śaṅkara before teaching—an archetype of invoking the Lord prior to exposition.

Significance: Models smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva as a preparatory act for receiving/teaching purāṇic wisdom.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Brahma
• Shiva
• Shankara

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śiva-smaraṇa—remembering Śaṅkara with a purified, pleased mind—showing that right understanding (heard from a realized sage like Nārada) naturally culminates in turning the heart toward Pati (Shiva), the supreme refuge and beneficent Lord.

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

Remembering “Śaṅkara” indicates devotion to Saguna Shiva—the gracious, approachable Lord. In practice, such remembrance is commonly supported by Linga-worship, where the mind is steadied on Shiva’s auspicious form and presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple takeaway is japa and smaraṇa: mentally remember Shiva and repeat the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) before speaking or acting, cultivating a calm, pleased mind aligned with Shiva.