Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

कौशिकी-गौरी तथा शार्दूलरूप-निशाचरस्य पूर्वकर्मवर्णनम् | Kauśikī-Gaurī and Brahmā’s account of the tiger-formed niśācara

Devanagari script

ततो देवीमनुज्ञाप्य ब्रह्मण्यन्तर्हिते सति । देवीं च मातरं दृष्ट्वा मेनां हिमवता सह

Transliteration

tato devīmanujñāpya brahmaṇyantarhite sati | devīṃ ca mātaraṃ dṛṣṭvā menāṃ himavatā saha

Translation

Alors, après avoir pris congé de la Déesse, et lorsque Brahmā eut disparu de la vue, il aperçut Menā, la mère de la Déesse, avec Himavān.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादान-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• देवीम्: the goddess (Pārvatī)
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुज्ञाप्य: having taken leave / having obtained permission
• अनुज्ञाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाले (having first permitted/asked leave)

• ब्रह्मणि: when Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अन्तर्हिते: having disappeared
• अन्तर्हिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्हित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अन्तर्-धा/अन्तर्हा + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• सति: being (in that state)
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: सत्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; लोके (locative absolute: 'when/while it was so')

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाले (having seen)

• मेनाम्: Menā
• मेनाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हिमवता: with Himavat
• हिमवता: Sahakari (सहकारी/Co-agent; instrumental with saha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Brahma
• Mena
• Himavan

FAQs

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

It highlights auspicious order (dharma) in sacred action: taking leave with reverence (anujñā) and moving forward only after divine sanction—an attitude aligned with Shaiva devotion, where grace and humility precede progress.

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

Though the Linga is not explicitly named, the verse situates Devī within her familial and cosmic context—an essential frame in Saguna Shiva-bhakti, where Parvati and the Himalayan lineage support the unfolding of Shiva’s manifest līlā and devotional worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is reverential transition: before beginning worship or a new spiritual undertaking, seek inner permission through prayer—e.g., mentally offering salutations to Shiva-Śakti and commencing japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a calm, sanctioned mind.