Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

त्रिपुरवर्णनम् (Tripura-varṇanam) — “Description of Tripura”

Devanagari script

ते सहस्रं तु वर्षाणां वातभक्षास्सुदारुणाः । तपस्तेपुर्दुरात्मानः परं तापमुपागताः

Transliteration

te sahasraṃ tu varṣāṇāṃ vātabhakṣāssudāruṇāḥ | tapastepurdurātmānaḥ paraṃ tāpamupāgatāḥ

Translation

Pendant mille années entières, ces êtres d’une férocité extrême—ne se nourrissant que d’air—accomplirent des austérités (tapas). Mais, l’intention pervertie, ils tombèrent dans un tourment extrême, brûlante conséquence de leur propre pénitence sévère.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Kāla-parimāṇa (काल-परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular; measure)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: indeed/but)

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural; ‘of years’)

• वात-भक्षाः: feeding on air
• वात-भक्षाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (vātaṃ bhakṣayanti iti) ‘wind-eaters’

• सु-दारुणाः: very dreadful
• सु-दारुणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गार्थे तीव्रता (very)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• तेपुः: performed (austerity)
• तेपुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दुरात्मानः: the wicked ones
• दुरात्मानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य) ‘evil-souled’

• परम्: extreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with तापम्)

• तापम्: heat/torment
• तापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• उपागताः: attained / came to
• उपागताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having reached/attained’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that austerity (tapas) is spiritually fruitful only when aligned with purity and devotion; when driven by a distorted will, the same tapas intensifies inner burning and karmic suffering rather than yielding Shiva’s grace.

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

The verse implicitly contrasts mere self-mortification with Shiva-oriented worship: Linga/Saguna Shiva upasana disciplines the mind through devotion and surrender, transforming tapas into a means for anugraha (divine favor) instead of ego-fueled hardship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt tapas with Shiva-bhakti: daily japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and a sattvic vow, ensuring the mind is purified rather than hardened by pride or hostility.