Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

स बालकस्तु तत्रैव तस्थाऽऽवानंदसंयुतः । पूर्ववन्निर्भयस्तात नानालीलाकरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

sa bālakastu tatraiva tasthā''vānaṃdasaṃyutaḥ | pūrvavannirbhayastāta nānālīlākaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

ເດັກນ້ອຍອັນເປັນເທວະນັ້ນ ຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນເທົ່າເດີມ ເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍອານັນ. ເຊັ່ນເກົ່າ ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນທີ່ຮັກ, ລາວບໍ່ມີຄວາມຢ້ານກົວ—ພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າ ຜູ້ສະແດງລີລາອັນອັດສະຈັນຫຼາຍປະການ.

Word by Word

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

• बालकः: the boy
• बालकः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेष (contrast/emphasis)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• तस्थौ: stood/remained
• तस्थौ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आनन्द-संयुतः: endowed with bliss
• आनन्द-संयुतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of सः/बालकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; √युज् (धातु) + सम्- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/सह-भावार्थे तत्पुरुष: ‘आनन्देन संयुतः’

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvavat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of सः/बालकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirbhaya (प्रातिपदिक; निर्- + भय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्/उपसर्ग-समासार्थ: ‘भयरहितः’

• तात: O dear (father/son)
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• नाना-लीला-करः: performer of many sports
• नाना-लीला-करः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of प्रभुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नानाविधाः लीलाः करोति’

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to बालकः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva vision that the Lord’s presence is ānanda (bliss) and nirbhayatā (fearlessness): when grace is near, fear dissolves and life’s events are seen as līlā rather than bondage.

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

By describing the Lord as an active līlā-kartā, the verse supports Saguna worship—devotees approach Shiva through perceivable forms and deeds (including the Liṅga), while recognizing the same Lord as the sovereign Prabhu beyond fear and sorrow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa with a fearless, bliss-oriented mind—especially Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—combined with steady remembrance (smaraṇa) of Shiva’s līlā to transform anxiety into devotion.