Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana) — “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”

Devanagari script

कथं हि तनयो जज्ञे शिवस्य परमात्मनः । यदर्थमात्मारामोऽपि समुवाह शिवां प्रभुः

Transliteration

kathaṃ hi tanayo jajñe śivasya paramātmanaḥ | yadarthamātmārāmo'pi samuvāha śivāṃ prabhuḥ

Translation

പരമാത്മാവായ ശിവന് പുത്രൻ എങ്ങനെ ജനിച്ചു? സ്വയംപര്യാപ്തനായ ആത്മാരാമനായ പ്രഭു എന്തിനാണ് ശിവാ (പാർവതി)യെ വിവാഹം കഴിച്ചത്?

Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (प्रश्न-अव्यय) interrogative adverb

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) particle (emphasis)

• tanayaḥ: son
• tanayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• jajñe: was born
• jajñe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); ātmanepada

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘paramaḥ ātmā’

• yat-artham: for what reason/why
• yat-artham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) ‘yasya artham’ = ‘for which purpose/why’; used as interrogative adverb

• ātmārāmaḥ: one who delights in the Self
• ātmārāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘ātmany eva rāmaḥ’

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Sambhāvanā/samuccaya-nipāta (सम्भावना/समुच्चय-निपात) particle

• samuvāha: married/took (in marriage)
• samuvāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (वह् धातु) with prefix sam-ud-
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• śivām: Śivā (Pārvatī)
• śivām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it raises the theological problem: why the Paramātman engages in marriage and progeny—answered as līlā for cosmic order and grace.

Significance: Invites contemplation of Śiva’s transcendence (ātmārāma) and immanence (householder-līlā) as pedagogical for devotees.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse frames a key Shaiva teaching: although Śiva is Pūrṇa (complete) and ātmārāma (self-sufficient), He adopts Saguna forms and enters divine relationships as līlā for loka-saṅgraha—guiding souls (paśu) toward grace, devotion, and liberation.

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

It highlights the bridge between Nirguṇa completeness and Saguna accessibility: devotees worship Śiva as Linga (transcendent sign) and also as the personal Lord who marries Śivā and manifests divine offspring—forms through which bhakti matures into realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate bhakti with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while meditating on Śiva as both Paramātmā and compassionate Saguna Lord, supporting steadiness in worship (pūjā) and inner detachment.