Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 53

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । नेच्छामि भवतो वर्णं स्वयं वा कर्तुमन्यथा । ब्रह्माणं तपसाराध्य क्षिप्रं गौरी भवाम्यहम्

Transliteration

devyuvāca | necchāmi bhavato varṇaṃ svayaṃ vā kartumanyathā | brahmāṇaṃ tapasārādhya kṣipraṃ gaurī bhavāmyaham

Translation

女神は言った。「あなたの定めを、私ひとりの手で別の仕方に変えたいとは望みません。苦行によってブラフマーを礼拝し、私は速やかにガウリー――白く吉祥なる者――となりましょう。」

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative particle (निषेध-निपात)

• icchāmi: I desire
• icchāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavataḥ: of you (sir)/your
• bhavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun/honorific)
• Form: Pronoun-like honorific (भवत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• varṇam: complexion/colour
• varṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• svayam: myself
• svayam: Kartṛ-prayoga (कर्तृ-प्रयोग/स्वकृत)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘oneself’

• vā: or
• vā: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• kartum: to make/do
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to do/make’

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘otherwise/differently’

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārādhya: having propitiated
• ārādhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√rādh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having propitiated/worshipped’

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kāla/Prakāra (काल/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (द्वितीया-अव्ययीभाव), ‘quickly’

• gaurī: Gaurī
• gaurī: Kartṛ-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate nominative

• bhavāmi: I become/I shall be
• bhavāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Parvati (Devi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights disciplined tapas as a dharmic means of inner purification and transformation, showing the Goddess choosing lawful, grace-aligned effort rather than forcing change by mere will.

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

By emphasizing propitiation through tapas, it reflects the Saguna path of devotion and disciplined practice—approaching the divine order reverently, which culminates in readiness for Shiva’s grace (often symbolized by Linga worship).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Tapas and ārādhana: undertaking a vrata with japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), simple living, and focused worship to cultivate sattva and invoke divine grace.