Shloka 52

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

एवं तस्यास्तपस्यन्त्या चिंतयंत्या महेश्वरम् । त्रीणि वर्ष सहस्राणि जग्मुः काल्यास्तपोवने

Transliteration

evaṃ tasyāstapasyantyā ciṃtayaṃtyā maheśvaram | trīṇi varṣa sahasrāṇi jagmuḥ kālyāstapovane

Translation

Ainsi, tandis qu’elle poursuivait son austérité en gardant Maheśvara sans cesse dans sa pensée, trois mille années s’écoulèrent dans la forêt de pénitence de Kālī.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tapasyantyāḥ: (while) she was performing austerity
• tapasyantyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘तपस्यन्ती’ = doing austerity (gen. sg.)

• ciṃtayantyāḥ: (while) she was contemplating
• ciṃtayantyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘चिन्तयन्ती’ = thinking/meditating (gen. sg.)

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• varṣa-sahasrāṇi: thousands of years
• varṣa-sahasrāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्षाणां सहस्राणि)

• jagmuḥ: passed, went by
• jagmuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kālyāḥ: of Kālī / of (the goddess) Kālī
• kālyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tapo-vane: in the forest of austerities
• tapo-vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तपसः वनम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The ‘Kālī’s forest of penance’ functions as a sacred tapas-sthāna rather than a Jyotirliṅga site; the verse marks the immense duration of Pārvatī’s sādhana focused on Maheśvara.

Significance: Highlights dīrgha-tapas (long perseverance) and uninterrupted smaraṇa as the condition for Śiva’s anugraha in Śaiva devotional-ascetic paradigms.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Extended tapas across millennia (three thousand years) emphasizing supra-human time scale

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Maheshvara
• Kali

FAQs

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

It highlights niṣṭhā (steadfastness): Pārvatī’s prolonged tapas joined with unbroken contemplation of Maheśvara shows that inner remembrance of Śiva, sustained over time, purifies the soul (paśu) and prepares it for Śiva’s grace (pati-anugraha).

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

The verse emphasizes saguna-upāsanā—focused meditation on Maheśvara as the personal Lord. In Śaiva practice this same one-pointedness is applied to Liṅga worship, where the devotee offers worship outwardly while holding Śiva inwardly in continuous awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A clear takeaway is sustained japa and dhyāna: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady concentration, supporting it with disciplined living (tapas), and keeping the mind anchored in Śiva-remembrance throughout the day.