Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 45

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

तस्थुस्तत्र स्त्रियः सर्वा मेनया सह सोत्सुकाः । वर्णयन्त्योऽधिकम्भाग्यम्मेनायाश्च गिरेरपि

Transliteration

tasthustatra striyaḥ sarvā menayā saha sotsukāḥ | varṇayantyo'dhikambhāgyammenāyāśca girerapi

Translation

Di sana semua perempuan berdiri bersama Menā dengan sukacita yang penuh harap; mereka memuji keberuntungan agung Menā dan juga Raja Gunung Himālaya (Himavān).

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिसमाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative/end marker)

• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (नामधेय-समास): ‘श्रीशिवस्य महापुराणम्’

• dvitīyāyām: in the second
• dvitīyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• rudra-saṃhitāyām: in the Rudra-saṃhitā
• rudra-saṃhitāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रुद्रस्य संहिता

• tṛtīye: in the third (part)
• tṛtīye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक

• pārvatī-khaṇḍe: in the Pārvatī section
• pārvatī-khaṇḍe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पार्वत्याः खण्डः

• śiva-sundara-svarūpa-pura-vāsi-utsava-varṇanam: description of the festival of the city-dwellers of Śiva’s beautiful form
• śiva-sundara-svarūpa-pura-vāsi-utsava-varṇanam: Pratijna/Complement (विधेय/Title)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sundara (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक) + utsava (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (विषय-निर्देशक शीर्षक): ‘शिवसुन्दरस्वरूपस्य पुरवासिनाम् उत्सवस्य वर्णनम्’

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नामनिर्देशक-अव्यय (indeclinable used as ‘called/named’)

• pañca-catvāriṃśaḥ: forty-fifth
• pañca-catvāriṃśaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound) = 45th

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Celebrates ‘bhāgya’ of proximity to Śiva through kinship with Pārvatī—mirrors pilgrimage sentiment where association with the deity’s sthala and devotees is itself meritorious.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Menā
• Himālaya (Giri)

FAQs

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

It highlights how divine grace (Śiva’s anugraha) manifests as “bhāgya”—the community recognizes Menā and Himālaya as uniquely blessed, implying that auspicious destiny arises when the Lord’s will supports a sacred household and dharmic environment.

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

Though the verse is narrative, it supports Saguna devotion by showing how devotees celebrate visible signs of Śiva’s favor in the world—auspicious events around Pārvatī’s lineage that culminate in connection with Śiva, often honored through Linga worship and household rites.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate takeaway is stuti (praise) and kīrtana: verbally glorifying auspiciousness with devotion; in Shaiva practice this is naturally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a simple daily remembrance.