Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1

दक्षयज्ञोत्तरवृत्तान्तः

Post–Dakṣa-Yajña Developments and the Appeal to Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

नारद उचाच । विधे विधे महाप्राज्ञा शैवतत्त्वप्रदर्शक । श्राविता रमणीप्राया शिवलीला महाद्भुता

Transliteration

nārada ucāca | vidhe vidhe mahāprājñā śaivatattvapradarśaka | śrāvitā ramaṇīprāyā śivalīlā mahādbhutā

Translation

Nārada dit : «Ô Créateur, ô Créateur—ô très sage révélateur de la vérité de Śiva—j’ai entendu une līlā du Seigneur Śiva, merveilleuse au-delà de toute mesure, et d’une grâce enchanteresse.»

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (नारद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विधे: O Creator (Brahmā)
• विधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr/vidhi (विधि/विधातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधे: O Creator
• विधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr/vidhi (विधि/विधातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• महाप्राज्ञ: O greatly wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + prājña (महा, प्राज्ञ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महान् प्राज्ञः

• शैवतत्त्वप्रदर्शक: O revealer of Śaiva truth
• शैवतत्त्वप्रदर्शक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva + tattva + pradarśaka (शैव, तत्त्व, प्रदर्शक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: शैवस्य तत्त्वस्य प्रदर्शकः

• श्राविता: was narrated/recited
• श्राविता: Kriya (क्रिया; विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrāvita (श्रावित प्रातिपदिक; causative PPP from √śru श्रु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from causative; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘caused to be heard/recited’

• रमणीप्राया: mostly concerning a lady
• रमणीप्राया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramaṇī + prāya (रमणी, प्राय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: रमणी-प्राय (mostly about a woman)

• शिवलीला: Śiva’s play (divine sport)
• शिवलीला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + līlā (शिव, लीला प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य लीला

• महाद्भुता: very wonderful
• महाद्भुता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + adbhuta (महा, अद्भुत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महद् अद्भुतम्

Speaker

Narada

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Sets the pedagogical frame: Śiva-līlā is presented as śaiva-tattva-pradarśana (revelation of Śiva’s truth), making listening itself a meritorious pilgrimage of the mind (mānasa-tīrtha).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It shows the proper disciple-attitude: Nārada acknowledges Brahmā as a teacher who reveals Śiva-tattva, implying that hearing (śravaṇa) Śiva’s līlā with reverence is itself a doorway to bhakti and right understanding of Pati (Śiva).

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

By praising Śiva-līlā as “marvelous and charming,” the verse supports Saguna devotion—approaching Śiva through narrated forms, deeds, and grace—commonly expressed in Purāṇic worship such as liṅga-pūjā and kīrtana of Śiva’s names.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa and manana: regularly listening to Śiva-kathā and contemplating Śiva-tattva; this can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a focused daily sādhana.