Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode

Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे द्वितीयायां रुद्रसंहितायां पञ्चमे युद्धखंडे शंखचूडव धोपाख्याने तुलसीशापवर्णनं नामैकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe dvitīyāyāṃ rudrasaṃhitāyāṃ pañcame yuddhakhaṃḍe śaṃkhacūḍava dhopākhyāne tulasīśāpavarṇanaṃ nāmaikacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Ainsi, dans le Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, dans la seconde partie appelée Rudra-saṃhitā, au sein du cinquième livre, le Yuddha-khaṇḍa, dans le récit de la mise à mort de Śaṅkhacūḍa, s’achève le quarante et unième chapitre intitulé «Description de la malédiction de Tulasī».

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus/end-quote marker)

• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शिव-महा-पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa (multi-member determinative)

• द्वितीयायाम्: in the second
• द्वितीयायाम्: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the second (book/section)

• रुद्रसंहितायाम्: in the Rudrasaṃhitā
• रुद्रसंहितायाम्: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र-संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the Rudrasaṃhitā

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth
• पञ्चमे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the fifth

• युद्धखण्डे: in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa
• युद्धखण्डे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध-खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa (section on war)

• शंखचूडवधोपाख्याने: in the episode of Śaṅkhacūḍa’s slaying
• शंखचूडवधोपाख्याने: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंखचूड-वध-उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the episode called ‘the slaying of Śaṅkhacūḍa’

• तुलसीशापवर्णनम्: the description of Tulasī’s curse
• तुलसीशापवर्णनम्: विशेष्य/नाम (Title-noun/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी-शाप-वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — description of Tulasī’s curse

• नाम: named
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (called/named)

• एकचत्वारिंशः: forty-first
• एकचत्वारिंशः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-चत्वारिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — forty-first (dvigu numeral compound)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject of colophon/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — chapter

Speaker

Suta Goswami (traditional Purāṇic colophon framing the narration to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon (iti… adhyāyaḥ) marking the closure of the chapter on Tulasī’s curse within the Śaṅkhacūḍa-vadha upākhyāna; not a sthala-purāṇa of a Jyotirliṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Śaṅkhacūḍa
• Tulasī

FAQs

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

This is a colophon verse marking the completion of a chapter; its significance is archival and devotional—affirming the sacred textual lineage (Śiva Mahāpurāṇa → Rudra-saṃhitā → Yuddha-khaṇḍa) and framing the preceding teaching-story as śāstra meant for remembrance and right understanding.

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

Though it does not directly describe Liṅga worship, it situates the narrative within the Yuddha-khaṇḍa where Saguna Śiva’s protective, dharma-restoring action is celebrated—an orientation that supports devotional contemplation of Śiva as the gracious Lord (Pati) who resolves cosmic disorder.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a concluding marker, it suggests śravaṇa and smaraṇa—listening to and recollecting the Purāṇic chapter with devotion; a practical takeaway is to recite “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before/after study and dedicate the reading as an offering to Lord Śiva.