Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

कुमाराभिषेकवर्णनम् — Description of Kumāra’s Abhiṣeka

Consecration/Installation

Devanagari script

तदैव कृत्तिकाः प्राप्य मुक्तकेश्यश्शुचाऽऽतुराः । उन्मत्ता इव तत्रैव वक्तुमारेभिरे वचः

Transliteration

tadaiva kṛttikāḥ prāpya muktakeśyaśśucā''turāḥ | unmattā iva tatraiva vaktumārebhire vacaḥ

Translation

À cet instant même, parvenues auprès des Kṛttikās, les cheveux dénoués et le cœur tourmenté par le chagrin, elles se mirent à parler sur-le-champ, comme des personnes hors d’elles-mêmes.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb: then)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कृत्तिकाः: the Kṛttikās
• कृत्तिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; proper noun (the Kṛttikās)

• प्राप्य: having reached/obtained
• प्राप्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having obtained/reached’

• मुक्तकेश्यः: with loosened hair
• मुक्तकेश्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘whose hair is loosened’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘कृत्तिकाः’

• शुचा: with grief
• शुचा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुच्/शुचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental of ‘grief/sorrow’

• आतुराः: distressed
• आतुराः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (or used generically), प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agrees with feminine subject by sense (common in poetry)

• उन्मत्ताः: mad/frantic
• उन्मत्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (or used generically), प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; predicative adjective

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• एव: indeed/right there
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) / Kriyārtha (क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to speak’

• आरेभिरे: they began
• आरेभिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Krittikas

FAQs

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

It shows how overwhelming emotion can arise even in divine beings, yet the turning point is truthful speech and seeking right understanding—an opening for grace (anugraha) under Shiva’s lordship as Pati, who steadies distressed beings.

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

The verse sets a narrative mood of agitation and grief, highlighting the need for refuge in Saguna Shiva—approaching the Lord through worship (including Linga-upasana) to transform turmoil into clarity and auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

In moments of grief and mental unrest, steady the mind with japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Shiva-puja (water offering to the Linga), cultivating composure and surrender.