Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

रुद्रस्य रणप्रवेशः तथा दैत्यगणानां बाणवृष्टिः

Rudra Enters the Battlefield; the Daityas’ Arrow-Storm

Devanagari script

अथ रुद्रं समायातमालोक्य भववल्लभा । अभ्याययौ सखीमध्यात्तद्दर्शनपथेऽभवत्

Transliteration

atha rudraṃ samāyātamālokya bhavavallabhā | abhyāyayau sakhīmadhyāttaddarśanapathe'bhavat

Translation

Alors, voyant Rudra s’avancer, la bien-aimée de Bhava (Pārvatī) se hâta de quitter le cercle de ses compagnes et se plaça sur le chemin où Il pouvait la contempler.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समायातम्: arrived
• समायातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-यात (प्रातिपदिक; यात < √या (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) ‘समायात’ = having come/arrived; ‘रुद्रम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) = having seen

• भववल्लभा: Bhava’s beloved (Pārvatī)
• भववल्लभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + वल्लभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भवस्य वल्लभा)

• अभ्याययौ: came near / approached
• अभ्याययौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-√या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सखीमध्यात्: from among (her) friends
• सखीमध्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग ‘मध्य’ (स्थानवाचक), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सखीनां मध्यात्)

• तत्: his/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासे पूर्वपदत्वेन; प्रातिपदिकरूपेण ‘तद्’ = his/that

• दर्शनपथे: on the path of sight / within view
• दर्शनपथे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दर्शनस्य पथे)

• अभवत्: was / became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Rudra

FAQs

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

The verse centers on darśana—intentional “coming into the sight” of the Lord. In Shaiva devotion, moving toward Rudra with love mirrors the soul’s turning from distraction to the direct vision of Pati (Śiva), where grace becomes accessible.

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

Although the scene is personal and narrative, it reflects Saguna-upāsanā: the devotee seeks the Lord’s presence and “visibility” (darśana). In Linga worship, this same principle is enacted by approaching the Linga for darśana, offering, and inward recollection of Śiva as the indwelling Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is darśana-bhāvanā: approach Śiva daily with focused attention—begin with “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” take Linga-darśana (or mental visualization of Rudra), and cultivate single-pointed loving readiness, as Pārvatī does by stepping onto the path of the Lord’s sight.