Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 56

कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera

Devanagari script

क्व दाक्षिणात्यं तत्कांस्यं गौडी ताम्रघटी क्व सा । नागदंतमयी सा क्व सुखकौतुक मंचिका

Transliteration

kva dākṣiṇātyaṃ tatkāṃsyaṃ gauḍī tāmraghaṭī kva sā | nāgadaṃtamayī sā kva sukhakautuka maṃcikā

Translation

Où est ce fin récipient de bronze du sud ? Où est ce pot de cuivre fabriqué à Gauda ? Où est ce petit lit d'ivoire destiné au confort et au plaisir ?

Word by Word

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where)

• दाक्षिणात्यम्: southern
• दाक्षिणात्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाक्षिणात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (southern)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• कांस्यम्: bronze vessel/bronze (object)
• कांस्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गौडी: gauḍī (from Gauḍa)
• गौडी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (from Gauḍa/Bengal)

• ताम्र-घटी: copper pot
• ताम्र-घटी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्र + घटि/घटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (ताम्रा घटी / ताम्रस्य घटी)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाग-दन्त-मयी: made of ivory (elephant-tusk)
• नाग-दन्त-मयी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग + दन्त + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मयट्/मय) ‘made of’; तत्पुरुष (नागदन्तस्य मयी)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय

• सुख-कौतुक: pleasant/delightful (for amusement)
• सुख-कौतुक: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुखं च तत् कौतुकं च / सुखकरं कौतुकम्) — attributive to maṃcikā

• मञ्चिका: small couch/bedstead
• मञ्चिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मञ्चिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, within the Rudrasaṃhitā’s creation narrative context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

FAQs

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

The verse underscores impermanence: prized objects and comforts disappear with time, urging vairāgya (detachment) and a shift from transient pleasure to devotion toward Shiva, the enduring Pati.

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

By contrasting fading luxuries with what truly remains, it directs the seeker to stable refuge—Saguna Shiva worship through the Linga—where the mind is anchored in dharma, purity, and liberation rather than possessions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to reduce dependence on comfort, perform simple Shiva-puja (water offering to the Linga), and do Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a steady discipline cultivating dispassion and remembrance.