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Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

गणेश-षण्मुखयोः विवाहविचारः / Deliberation on the Marriages of Gaṇeśa and Ṣaṇmukha

किं कर्तव्यं क्व गंतव्यं लंघितुं नैव शक्यते । क्रोशमात्रं गतः स्याद्वै गम्यते न मया पुनः

kiṃ kartavyaṃ kva gaṃtavyaṃ laṃghituṃ naiva śakyate | krośamātraṃ gataḥ syādvai gamyate na mayā punaḥ

«Que dois-je faire, et où dois-je aller ? Cet obstacle ne peut être franchi en aucune manière. Quand bien même je n’aurais parcouru qu’un krośa, je ne puis avancer davantage.»

किम्what
किम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक
कर्तव्यम्to be done
कर्तव्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be done’
क्वwhere
क्व:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्व (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-देशवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where)
गन्तव्यम्to be gone to / to go
गन्तव्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘to be gone/should go’
लङ्घितुम्to cross
लङ्घितुम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootलङ्घ् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to cross/overstep’
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)
एवat all
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/at all)
शक्यतेis possible
शक्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशक् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person) एकवचन
क्रोशमात्रम्only a krośa-distance
क्रोशमात्रम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रोश + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (क्रोशस्य मात्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक
गतःhaving gone
गतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्प्रत्यय)
Formक्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता) एकवचन
स्यात्might be / would be
स्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person) एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
गम्यतेis gone / can be reached
गम्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person) एकवचन
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)
मयाby me
मया:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण) एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृतीया (agent in passive)
पुनःagain
पुनः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः (अव्यय)
Formपुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (again/further)

A distressed character in the Kumārakhaṇḍa narrative (as narrated by Sūta to the sages)

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Sthala Purana: No jyotirliṅga reference; the verse expresses incapacity before an uncrossable obstacle, a narrative emblem of limitation (bandha) that Siddhānta reads as pāśa (mala/karma/māyā) constraining the paśu.

S
Shiva

FAQs

It portrays the soul’s helplessness when limited human effort reaches its boundary; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such a moment points toward śaraṇāgati (surrender) to Pati (Śiva), whose grace alone enables one to pass beyond impeding conditions (pāśa).

When progress is obstructed, the Purana’s practical thrust is to turn to Saguna Śiva—remembering and worshipping the Linga as the accessible form of the Supreme—invoking His anugraha (grace) to remove impediments and restore right direction.

A direct takeaway is to pause and take refuge in Shiva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and/or Rudrākṣa as supports for steadiness and remembrance while seeking divine guidance.