Shloka 2

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

परीक्षा छद्मना शंभुर्द्रष्टुं तां तुष्टमानसः । जाटिलं रूपमास्थाय स ययौ पार्वतीवनम्

Transliteration

parīkṣā chadmanā śaṃbhurdraṣṭuṃ tāṃ tuṣṭamānasaḥ | jāṭilaṃ rūpamāsthāya sa yayau pārvatīvanam

Translation

Pour l’éprouver—mais avec une intention dissimulée—Śambhu, le cœur comblé et désireux de la voir, prit l’apparence d’un ascète aux cheveux emmêlés et se rendit au bois-sacré de Pārvatī.

Word by Word

• parīkṣām: test/examination
• parīkṣām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• chadmanā: by disguise
• chadmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chadman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): ‘to see’

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tuṣṭa: pleased
• tuṣṭa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣṭa (√tuṣ; तुष् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) as compound member; ‘pleased/satisfied’

• mānasaḥ: with a pleased mind
• mānasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: tuṣṭa-mānasaḥ = ‘whose mind is pleased’

• jāṭilam: matted-haired (ascetic)
• jāṭilam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāṭila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (rūpam)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āsthāya: having assumed
• āsthāya: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्ग: आ-; ‘having assumed/taken’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘went’

• pārvatīvanam: to Pārvatī’s forest
• pārvatīvanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘Pārvatī’s forest / forest of Pārvatī’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It shows that sincere devotion and tapas are refined through divine testing: Śiva, as Pati (the Lord), examines the steadiness and purity of Pārvatī’s intention before revealing grace.

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

Śiva appears in a tangible, Saguna form (the jāṭila ascetic) to guide and test the devotee—teaching that the formless Reality is approached through gracious manifestations, just as Linga-worship supports focused devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadiness in sādhana during trials—maintain japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined tapas; external signs like bhasma or rudrākṣa are secondary to unwavering inner bhakti.