Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

अतीव स्थविरो विप्रदेहधारी स्वतेजसा । प्रज्वलन्मनसा हृष्टो दंडी छत्री बभूव सः

Transliteration

atīva sthaviro vipradehadhārī svatejasā | prajvalanmanasā hṛṣṭo daṃḍī chatrī babhūva saḥ

Translation

彼はきわめて老いたバラモンの身をまとい、自らの生得のテージャスにより燦然と輝き、意志と歓喜に燃える心のまま、杖を携え傘を手にして現れた。

Word by Word

• atīva: very
• atīva: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘very, exceedingly’

• sthaviraḥ: old/aged
• sthaviraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthavira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vipra: brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘brāhmaṇa’

• deha: body
• deha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘body’

• dhārī: wearing/assuming (a body)
• dhārī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhārin (√dhṛ; धृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (णिनि/इन्-प्रत्यय): ‘bearing’; तत्पुरुष: vipra-deha-dhārī = ‘bearing a brāhmaṇa body’

• sva: own
• sva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘own’

• tejasā: by (his) radiance
• tejasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• prajvalat: blazing
• prajvalat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prajvalat (√jval; ज्वल् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), समासपूर्वपद; ‘blazing’

• manasā: with mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• hṛṣṭaḥ: delighted
• hṛṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (√hṛṣ; हृष् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) as adjective; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• daṃḍī: staff-bearing ascetic
• daṃḍī: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘staff-bearer’

• chatrī: umbrella-bearer
• chatrī: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chatrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘umbrella-bearer’

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva’s līlā of veiling his divinity and approaching devotees in a humble guise, teaching that true recognition of Pati (Shiva) comes through inner discernment, not outer appearances.

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

The verse depicts Saguna Shiva acting within the world for the devotee’s upliftment; such narratives support devotion to Shiva’s accessible forms (including the Liṅga) while pointing to his self-luminous, transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate humility and steadiness in japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and practice seeing Shiva in all beings, as the Lord may come in disguised forms to test devotion and purity.