Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 13

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

वद कस्य कुले जाता कः पिता तव का विधा । महासौभाग्यरूपा त्वं वृथा तव तपोरतिः

Transliteration

vada kasya kule jātā kaḥ pitā tava kā vidhā | mahāsaubhāgyarūpā tvaṃ vṛthā tava taporatiḥ

Translation

告げよ、汝はいずれの家に生まれたのか。父は誰で、身分と生き方はいかなるものか。汝は大いなる吉祥そのものの姿に見えるゆえ、汝の苦行への歓びは、われらには無用にも思われる。

Word by Word

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• कुले: in (which) family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• जाता: born
• जाता: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त participle) ‘जात’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विधेयविशेषणम्

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• का: what? (which?)
• का: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• विधा: kind, manner, nature
• विधा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महा-सौभाग्य-रूपा: having the form of great good fortune; very auspicious
• महा-सौभाग्य-रूपा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महच्च तत् सौभाग्यं; सौभाग्यस्य रूपा/स्वरूपा)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वृथा: in vain, fruitlessly
• वृथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘in vain’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपो-रतिः: delight/attachment in austerity
• तपो-रतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तपसि रतिः / तपः-रतिः)

Speaker

Onlookers/people (addressing Pārvatī during her austerities; narrated within Sūta’s discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; the verse dramatizes how ‘saubhāgya’ (visible auspiciousness) can conceal the deeper telos of tapas—Śiva-prāpti beyond worldly fortune.

Significance: Encourages aspirants to value spiritual striving over external markers of prosperity or ‘good fortune’.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It contrasts worldly auspiciousness with the higher aim of spiritual attainment: even if one appears “fortunate,” the soul’s longing for union with Pati (Śiva) can make tapas essential rather than optional.

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

The verse frames tapas as preparation for approaching Saguna Śiva through disciplined devotion; in the Purāṇic narrative, such resolve matures into focused worship that culminates in Śiva’s grace and acceptance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is steadfast sādhanā despite comfort—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), simple austerity, and inner restraint, offered with bhakti rather than for social approval.