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Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्

Search for Kārttikeya and the Nandī Dialogue

वह्निरुवाच । वीर्यं सोढुमशक्तोहं तव शंकर पर्वते । कैलासे न्यक्षिपं सद्यः कपोतात्मा सुदुस्सहम्

vahniruvāca | vīryaṃ soḍhumaśaktohaṃ tava śaṃkara parvate | kailāse nyakṣipaṃ sadyaḥ kapotātmā sudussaham

Agni dit : Ô Śaṅkara, je n’ai pas pu porter cette puissance sur la montagne. Aussi, tant elle était insupportable, je l’ai aussitôt déposée sur le Kailāsa, en prenant la forme d’un pigeon.

वह्निःFire (Agni)
वह्निः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
वीर्यम्the semen/energy
वीर्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)
सोढुम्to bear
सोढुम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival complement)
TypeVerb
Rootसह् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to endure’
अशक्तःunable
अशक्तः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) — अहम् विशेषण
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)
तवyour/of you
तव:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)
शंकरO Śaṅkara
शंकर:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootशंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative)
पर्वतेon the mountain
पर्वते:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/Locative)
कैलासेon Kailāsa
कैलासे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/Locative)
न्याक्षिपम्I cast/placed
न्याक्षिपम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनि-क्षिप् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
सद्यःimmediately
सद्यः:
Kala (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसद्यः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, कालवाचक (immediately)
कपोतात्मा(I) in the form of a pigeon
कपोतात्मा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकपोत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (कपोतस्य आत्मा/रूपम्); पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) — अहम् के विशेषणवत्
सुदुस्सहम्very unbearable
सुदुस्सहम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु + दुस्सह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) — (वीर्यम्) विशेषण; ‘very hard to bear’

Agni (Vahni)

Tattva Level: pasha

Sthala Purana: Agni admits incapacity to bear Śiva’s tejas and relocates it to Kailāsa by assuming a pigeon-form—showing even divine functions (Agni-tattva) are limited before Śiva’s para-tejas.

Significance: Kailāsa is invoked as the natural locus of Śiva’s presence; the episode underscores that proximity to Śiva’s abode does not automatically grant capacity—fitness and grace remain central.

S
Shiva
A
Agni
K
Kailasa

FAQs

It highlights the immeasurable, transcendent power of Śiva (Pati): even a great deva like Agni cannot contain it, showing that Śiva’s śakti is beyond ordinary cosmic functions and must manifest through divinely ordained means.

The verse reinforces Saguna Śiva’s active, world-ordering presence: His divine potency is real and operative in the cosmos, yet remains overwhelming—prompting devotees to approach Him through sacred forms and disciplined worship rather than casual familiarity.

A practical takeaway is reverent containment of spiritual energy through regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined observances (bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa), cultivating steadiness before invoking intense śakti in meditation.