Shloka 33

तारकपीडितदेवशरणागतिḥ — The Devas Seek Refuge from Tāraka

Devanagari script

वाक्याद्धिमवतः कालीं स्वपितुर्हठतश्शिवा । सखीभ्यां सेवते सार्द्धं ध्यानस्थं परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

vākyāddhimavataḥ kālīṃ svapiturhaṭhataśśivā | sakhībhyāṃ sevate sārddhaṃ dhyānasthaṃ parameśvaram

Translation

ഹിമവതിന്റെ വചനപ്രകാരം ശിവാ (പാർവതി) തന്റെ പിതാവിന്റെ കാളിയെ ഹഠത്തോടെ ഉണർത്തി; പിന്നെ രണ്ടു സഖികളോടുകൂടെ ധ്യാനസ്ഥനായ പരമേശ്വരനെ സേവിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• vākyāt: from the words/command
• vākyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• himavataḥ: of Himavat
• himavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kālīm: Kālī (name)
• kālīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-pituḥ: of her own father
• sva-pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• haṭhataḥ: forcibly
• haṭhataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: haṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) in ablatival sense: “by force/forcibly”

• śivā: Śivā (Pārvatī)
• śivā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sakhībhyām: with two female friends
• sakhībhyām: Karaṇa/Sahakārī (करण/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• sevate: serves/attends
• sevate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sev (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sārddham: together (with)
• sārddham: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārddham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/preposition-like: “together with”

• dhyāna-stham: situated in meditation
• dhyāna-stham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of parameśvaram
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: dhyāne sthitaḥ); Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Himavat

FAQs

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

It highlights Śivā’s (Pārvatī’s) seva-bhāva—devotional service to Parameśvara—showing that steadfast devotion aligned with the Lord’s meditative stillness (dhyāna) is a direct means to inner purification and grace in the Shaiva Siddhānta spirit.

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

Parameśvara is portrayed as the accessible Saguna Lord—present and worship-worthy even while absorbed in meditation. Such seva naturally extends to Linga-upāsanā: approaching Shiva with reverence, steadiness, and contemplative attention rather than mere outward display.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse suggests dhyāna with seva: sit in quiet meditation on Shiva as Parameśvara and support it with simple worship—mental offering, japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and, where traditional, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and remembrance.