Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

गणेशविवाहोत्सवः तथा सिद्धि-बुद्धि-सन्तानवर्णनम् | Gaṇeśa’s Wedding Festival and the Progeny of Siddhi & Buddhi

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां चैव गणेशस्य गिरिजा शंकरः प्रभू । महोत्सवं विवाहं च कारयामासतुर्मुदा

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ caiva gaṇeśasya girijā śaṃkaraḥ prabhū | mahotsavaṃ vivāhaṃ ca kārayāmāsaturmudā

Translation

Alors Girijā et le Seigneur Śaṅkara, le Souverain, avec elles deux, organisèrent dans la joie la grande fête ainsi que la cérémonie de mariage de Gaṇeśa.

Word by Word

• tābhyām: by/with those two (daughters)
• tābhyām: Karaṇa (करण) / Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); ‘by/with those two’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• gaṇeśasya: of Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• girijā: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• girijā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girijā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaṃkaraḥ: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṃkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prabhū: the two lords
• prabhū: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); used appositionally for the two subjects (Girijā and Śaṅkara)

• mahotsavam: a great festival
• mahotsavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-utsava (प्रातिपदिक; components: mahā+utsava)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vivāham: the wedding
• vivāham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• kārayāmāsatuḥ: they arranged/caused (to be held)
• kārayāmāsatuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) causative kāraya (णिच्) + āsa (periphrastic)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्/परस्मैपद-परिप्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); causative meaning ‘caused to be done/arranged’

• mudā: with joy
• mudā: Hetu/Prakāra (प्रकार/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial use

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umapati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva and Pārvatī as compassionate divine parents who uphold dharma by sanctifying life-events (saṃskāras) with auspicious celebration, showing that worldly rites can become devotion when centered on the Lord (Pati) and His grace.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva as Śaṅkara—the personal Lord who actively blesses devotees through auspicious acts; such narratives support devotional worship where ceremonies and vows are offered to Śiva (often before the Liṅga) as a means to invite His anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests performing auspicious worship before major life events—Śiva-pūjā with pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and offering devotion with purity and joy, treating the occasion itself as a mahotsava dedicated to Śiva.