Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

देवीयोगनिद्रास्तुतिḥ तथा चण्डिकायाः प्रादुर्भावः | Hymn to Devī Yogānidrā and the Manifestation of Caṇḍikā

Devanagari script

कांताभिलाषमात्रं मे दृष्ट्वाऽनिंदद्वृषध्वजः । स कथं वनितां देवी स्वेच्छया संग्रहीष्यति

Transliteration

kāṃtābhilāṣamātraṃ me dṛṣṭvā'niṃdadvṛṣadhvajaḥ | sa kathaṃ vanitāṃ devī svecchayā saṃgrahīṣyati

Translation

Voyant en moi le moindre désir d’une bien-aimée, Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva), l’irréprochable, ne l’a même pas approuvé. Comment donc cette Déesse—ou toute femme du monde—serait-elle jamais acceptée par lui de son plein gré ?

Word by Word

• कान्ता-अभिलाष-मात्रम्: mere desire for a beloved
• कान्ता-अभिलाष-मात्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (बहु-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला) ‘कान्तायाः अभिलाषः’ + ‘मात्रम्’ (only)

• मे: of me/my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• अनिन्दत्: did not blame/censure
• अनिन्दत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; नञ्-पूर्वक (negated)

• वृष-ध्वजः: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृष-ध्वजः: कर्तृ (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘वृषः ध्वजः यस्य सः’ (epithet of Śiva)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्तृ (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: सम्बन्ध (Interrogative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: how)

• वनिताम्: a woman
• वनिताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवी: the goddess / O goddess
• देवी: कर्तृ/सम्बोधन (Subject or address by context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि पाठान्तर-सम्भवः)

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will
• स्वेच्छया: करण (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (स्वा इच्छा)

• संग्रहीष्यति: will accept/take (as wife)
• संग्रहीष्यति: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Satī (reflecting/speaking within the narrative as Dakṣa’s daughter)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva’s transcendence over ordinary desire: he is Pati (the Lord) who is not compelled by kāma. From a Śaiva Siddhānta lens, it points to purity of intention—union with Śiva arises through grace and devotion, not through merely worldly attraction.

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

It reinforces that Saguna Śiva, worshipped as the Liṅga, is approached through reverence and surrender rather than bargaining through desire. Liṅga-worship trains the devotee to move from personal craving to bhakti and Śiva-anugraha (divine favor).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to reduce desire-driven prayer and adopt steadier bhakti—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and a Rudrākṣa mala, focusing on inner purity and Śiva’s grace.