Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 52

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

तन्वंगी सममध्या च तनुरोमावली श्रुता । मृद्वंगी चारुदशना नवकांचनसुप्रभा

Transliteration

tanvaṃgī samamadhyā ca tanuromāvalī śrutā | mṛdvaṃgī cārudaśanā navakāṃcanasuprabhā

Translation

彼女は肢体ほっそりとして腰は均整がとれ、身に走る繊細な産毛の筋で名高かった。姿は柔らかく優美で、歯並びも麗しく、新たに精錬された黄金のごとき光輝を放っていた。

Word by Word

• तन्वङ्गी: slender-limbed
• तन्वङ्गी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तनु + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of implied स्त्री/वराङ्गना

• सममध्या: slim-waisted
• सममध्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘having an even/slender waist’)

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

• तनुरोमावली: a delicate line of body-hair
• तनुरोमावली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु + रोमा + आवली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate-nominative/descriptor (‘a fine line of hair’)

• श्रुता: is known/said
• श्रुता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is said/known (to be)’

• मृद्वङ्गी: soft-limbed
• मृद्वङ्गी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘soft-limbed’)

• चारुदशना: beautiful-toothed
• चारुदशना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + दशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘with beautiful teeth’)

• नवकाञ्चनसुप्रभा: radiant like new gold
• नवकाञ्चनसुप्रभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + काञ्चन + सुप्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘having excellent luster like new gold’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse sanctifies Sati’s saguna (manifest) form as auspicious and worthy of contemplation, directing the devotee’s mind toward Shiva’s Shakti—beauty here signifies sattva, purity, and divine presence rather than mere worldly attraction.

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

In Shaiva devotion, the Linga is worshiped with the understanding that Shiva is never without Shakti; describing Sati’s radiant form supports saguna-upāsanā, where the devotee reveres Shiva together with His power (Shiva–Shakti) as one reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple dhyāna (meditation) on the auspicious, radiant form of Shiva’s Shakti alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” is implied; it is a mind-purifying practice rather than a specific external rite in this verse.