Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

द्वारपाल-गणेशसंवादः / The Dialogue at the Gate: Gaṇeśa and Śiva’s Gaṇas

Devanagari script

शिवो मर्कटवत्तेऽद्य वर्तते सर्वदा सति । किं करिष्यत्यहंकारमानुकूल्यं भविष्यति

Transliteration

śivo markaṭavatte'dya vartate sarvadā sati | kiṃ kariṣyatyahaṃkāramānukūlyaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

«Aujourd’hui Śiva se conduit comme un singe, ô Satī — en vérité, il agit toujours ainsi. Que peut accomplir l’orgueil (ahaṃkāra) ? Il n’en sortira que l’accommodement et l’harmonie.»

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मर्कटवत्: like a monkey
• मर्कटवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: markaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (adverbial ‘-वत्’), अव्ययभावे प्रयोगः

• ते: for you/to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• वर्तते: behaves/acts
• वर्तते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (always)

• सति: O Satī
• सति: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Sati as address)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग (interrogative ‘what?’ used adverbially)

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहंकारम्: ego/pride
• अहंकारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahaṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुकूल्यम्: favorableness/compliance
• अनुकूल्यम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anukūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Parvati (Sati)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati (Parvati)

FAQs

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

It teaches that ego (ahaṃkāra) cannot control or judge Śiva’s divine play; spiritual maturity lies in humility and willing alignment with the Lord’s will, which loosens the bonds (pāśa) that keep the soul limited.

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

Saguna worship trains the devotee to accept Śiva’s actions as grace, not as something to be measured by pride. Linga-bhakti especially emphasizes surrender—approaching Śiva as Pati (the Lord) and oneself as the dependent soul.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the intention of dissolving ahaṃkāra, paired with simple Tripuṇḍra/bhasma remembrance of impermanence and humility.