Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

दक्षस्य तपः तथा जगदम्बायाः प्रत्यक्षता — Dakṣa’s Austerities and the Direct Manifestation of Jagadambā

Devanagari script

तवावतारो नो जातः का तत्पत्नी भवेदतः । तं मोहय महेशानमवतीर्य क्षितौ शिवे

Transliteration

tavāvatāro no jātaḥ kā tatpatnī bhavedataḥ | taṃ mohaya maheśānamavatīrya kṣitau śive

Translation

«Ton incarnation n’a pas encore eu lieu ; qui donc pourrait être son épouse ? Descends sur la terre, ô Bienheureuse, et par ta puissance divine, charme Mahēśāna (Śiva).»

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवतारः: incarnation/descent
• अवतारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नः: of us/our
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); वैकल्पिकं: चतुर्थी (Dative/4th) बहुवचन

• जातः: born/occurred
• जातः: क्रियापद-भाग (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘has been born/has occurred’

• का: who? (fem.)
• का: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्-पत्नी: his wife
• तत्-पत्नी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive Tatpurusha) ‘his wife’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/might become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अतः: therefore/from this (reason)
• अतः: हेतु/निमित्त (Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रकारः: कारण/निष्कर्षार्थक (causal/conclusive adverb)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मोहय: delude/bewilder
• मोहय: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense) ‘cause to be deluded’

• महेशानम्: Maheshana (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• अवतीर्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः ‘having descended’), क्रियाविशेषण-भाव

• क्षितौ: on the earth
• क्षितौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• शिवे: O Śivā
• शिवे: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (in the Satī narrative, instructing Śivā/Śakti to descend and unite with Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: avatāra (descent of Śakti to earth)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that the divine descent (avatāra) of Śakti is part of Śiva’s līlā for restoring dharma—Śiva is Pati (the Lord), and union with Śakti manifests grace and the ordered unfolding of creation.

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

By naming Maheśāna and describing divine “attraction” toward him, the verse supports Saguna worship: devotees approach Śiva through manifest forms (including the Liṅga) while honoring Śiva-Śakti unity as the living power behind worship and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Śiva-Śakti upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with bhāva of surrender, optionally with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, contemplating that grace (Śakti) turns the mind toward Mahēśvara.