Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

घनागमवर्णनम् / Description of the Monsoon’s Onset

Satī’s Address to Śiva

Devanagari script

गंगाजलौघप्रयते पूर्णचन्द्रसमप्रभे । दरीषु सानुषु सदा ब्रह्मकन्याभ्युदीरिते

Transliteration

gaṃgājalaughaprayate pūrṇacandrasamaprabhe | darīṣu sānuṣu sadā brahmakanyābhyudīrite

Translation

Il ressemble au flot impétueux des eaux du Gaṅgā et resplendit de l’éclat de la pleine lune. Toujours célébré par les vierges, filles de Brahmā, il se trouve dans les vallées et sur les pentes de la montagne.

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-जल-ओघ-प्रयते: O (place) resembling/abounding in a flood of Ganga-water
• गङ्गा-जल-ओघ-प्रयते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत (कृदन्त; √यत् (धातु) + प्र-)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: गङ्गाजलस्य ओघः; तेन प्रयतः/प्रयतं इव). विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रयत (क्त)

• पूर्ण-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभे: O (one) whose radiance is like the full moon
• पूर्ण-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उपमान-तत्पुरुषः: पूर्णचन्द्रसमः; तस्य प्रभा यस्य/यत्र). विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• दरीषु: in the caves/valleys
• दरीषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• सानुषु: on the ridges/summits
• सानुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavisheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• ब्रह्म-कन्या-अभ्युदीरिते: O (place) proclaimed/celebrated by Brahmā’s daughter
• ब्रह्म-कन्या-अभ्युदीरिते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्युदीरित (कृदन्त; √दीर्/√उदीर् (धातु) + अभि- + क्त)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ब्रह्मकन्यया अभ्युदीरितम्). विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: The imagery of Gaṅgā’s flood and full-moon radiance evokes the Himalayan sacred landscape associated with Śiva’s high abodes; while not a direct Jyotirliṅga origin, it aligns with Kedāra’s Himalayan tīrtha-aura and the Gaṅgā watershed sanctity.

Significance: Purity and illumination symbolism: Gaṅgā-like flow (śuddhi) and moon-like radiance (prasāda) support the pilgrim’s inner cleansing and contemplative steadiness.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganga
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse sacralizes a Shiva-associated landscape by likening it to Gaṅgā’s purifying flow and the full moon’s luminosity—symbols of cleansing mala (impurity) and revealing Shiva’s grace that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation (mokṣa).

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

By describing a tangible, praised sacred place, it supports Saguna devotion—Shiva approached through holy geography, pure waters, and praised abodes—where devotees perform worship with offerings (especially Gaṅgā-jala) as a doorway to realizing Shiva’s transcendent (Nirguna) reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use Gaṅgā-jala (or ritually pure water) for abhiṣeka, contemplate Shiva’s moonlike purity while chanting the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and cultivate inner cleansing alongside outer worship.