Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

नत्वा तत्र विधिं भक्त्या स्तुत्वा च विविधैस्तवैः । पप्रच्छ शिवत्तत्वं शिवसंभक्तमानसः

Transliteration

natvā tatra vidhiṃ bhaktyā stutvā ca vividhaistavaiḥ | papraccha śivattatvaṃ śivasaṃbhaktamānasaḥ

Translation

ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ವಿಧಾತಾ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸಿ, ವಿವಿಧ ಸ್ತವಗಳಿಂದ ಸ್ತುತಿಸಿದನು; ನಂತರ ಶಿವಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿದ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ನಾರದನು ಶಿವತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having bowed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• विधिम्: Vidhi (Brahmā)
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (ब्रह्मा-पर्यायः)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having praised)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'stavaiḥ')

• स्तवैः: with hymns
• स्तवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) [प्र-उपसर्ग]
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—प्र

• शिव-तत्त्वम्: the reality/principle of Śiva
• शिव-तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य तत्त्वम्

• शिव-सं-भक्त-मानसः: whose mind is devoted to Śiva
• शिव-सं-भक्त-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √भज्) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—शिवे सम्यक् भक्तं मानसं यस्य (one whose mind is well-devoted to Śiva)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva path of approach: humility (namaskāra), devotional praise (stuti), and sincere inquiry into Śiva-tattva—implying that knowledge of Śiva arises from bhakti and reverence, not mere argument.

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

The verse models devotional engagement—praise and surrender—through which a seeker becomes fit to understand Śiva’s reality; in practice this aligns with Saguna worship (including Liṅga-pūjā) as a doorway to grasping the deeper Śiva-tattva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a simple sādhana sequence: offer pranāma, recite Śiva-stotras or the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and then contemplate/ask about Śiva-tattva—turning worship into inquiry and meditation.