Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

एकस्मिन्समये रुद्रस्सत्या त्रिभुवने भवः । वृषमारुह्य पर्याटद्रसां लीलाविशारदः

Transliteration

ekasminsamaye rudrassatyā tribhuvane bhavaḥ | vṛṣamāruhya paryāṭadrasāṃ līlāviśāradaḥ

Translation

À une époque, Bhava—Rudra—accompagné de Satī, parcourait les trois mondes, monté sur le Taureau, se délectant du jeu divin et pleinement expert en ses merveilleuses expressions.

Word by Word

• ekasmin: in one
• ekasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Locative/सप्तमी (7), Singular/एकवचन; used with samaye

• samaye: at a time, on an occasion
• samaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative/सप्तमी (7), Singular/एकवचन

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• satyā: with Satī
• satyā: Sahakāraka (सह/साकं-भाव, तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental/तृतीया (3), Singular/एकवचन; accompaniment sense

• tribhuvane: in the three worlds
• tribhuvane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative/सप्तमी (7), Singular/एकवचन; द्विगु: triṇi bhuvanāni

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (Śiva)
• bhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; epithet of Rudra

• vṛṣam: the bull (Nandin)
• vṛṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन

• āruhya: having mounted
• āruhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, ल्यप्): having mounted

• paryāṭat: wandered about
• paryāṭat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-āṭ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect/लङ् (Laṅ), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष, Singular/एकवचन

• rasām: the earth
• rasām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन; poetic for earth

• līlā-viśāradaḥ: skilled in play (sport)
• līlā-viśāradaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: līlāyāṃ viśāradaḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva’s compassionate immanence: Rudra moves freely through all three worlds with Satī, showing that the Lord is not distant but actively present, guiding beings through līlā toward grace and liberation.

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

Rudra’s visible roaming with Satī points to Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as the personal Lord who can be remembered, praised, and served. Such remembrance naturally culminates in Liṅga-bhakti, where the formless Supreme is adored through a sacred, accessible form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is līlā-smaraṇa (devotional recollection) of Śiva with Nandin—paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple Liṅga-pūjā (water offering), cultivating devotion and inner steadiness.