Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

तारकासुर-पूर्ववृत्त-प्रश्नः (Questions on Tārakāsura and Śivā’s tapas) / “Inquiry into Tārakāsura’s origin and Śivā–Śiva narrative”

Devanagari script

तदर्थमकरोत्तीव्रं तपोन्यद्दुष्करं स तु । मां समुद्दिश्य सुप्रीत्या बहुवर्षं जितेंद्रियः

Transliteration

tadarthamakarottīvraṃ taponyadduṣkaraṃ sa tu | māṃ samuddiśya suprītyā bahuvarṣaṃ jiteṃdriyaḥ

Translation

その目的のために、彼はまことに激烈で、他には成し難い苦行を行った。愛に満ちた帰依をもってそれを我に向け、幾年も諸根を制し、感官を征服して自制を保った。

Word by Word

• tad-artham: for that purpose
• tad-artham: Karma (कर्म) / Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य अर्थः)

• akarot: did; performed
• akarot: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tīvram: intense
• tīvram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• tapaḥ: austerity; penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• anyat: other; another
• anyat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• duṣkaram: difficult to do
• duṣkaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tu: indeed; but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधसूचक

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• samuddiśya: having intended (me); addressing (me)
• samuddiśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√diś (दिश्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘समुद्दिश्य’ = having aimed at/with reference to

• su-prītyā: with great affection
• su-prītyā: Karaṇa (करण) / Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्गपूर्वक (सु-प्रīti = great affection)

• bahu-varṣam: for many years
• bahu-varṣam: Karma (कर्म) / Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (2/1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (बहूनि वर्षाणि)

• jita-indriyaḥ: one who has conquered the senses
• jita-indriyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (√ji + kta) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the divine referent ‘mām’ in the Parvati-khanda narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true spiritual progress arises when tapas is not mere hardship but is dedicated to Shiva with prīti (devotional love), supported by jitendriyatā (mastery of the senses), which aligns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

By saying the austerity is ‘directed toward me,’ the verse emphasizes Saguna-focused devotion—worship offered to Shiva as the personal Lord—often expressed in Linga-upāsanā, japa, and pūjā done with heartfelt intention rather than outer effort alone.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sustained sādhana: daily Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’), disciplined sense-restraint, and regular worship with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and/or rudrākṣa as supports to focused devotion.