Shloka 52

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

एवं तस्यास्तपस्यन्त्या चिंतयंत्या महेश्वरम् । त्रीणि वर्ष सहस्राणि जग्मुः काल्यास्तपोवने

Transliteration

evaṃ tasyāstapasyantyā ciṃtayaṃtyā maheśvaram | trīṇi varṣa sahasrāṇi jagmuḥ kālyāstapovane

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ അവൾ തപസ്സു തുടരുകയും മഹേശ്വരനെ ധ്യാനിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിരിക്കെ, കാളിയുടെ തപോവനത്തിൽ മൂവായിരം വർഷങ്ങൾ കടന്നു പോയി.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tapasyantyāḥ: (while) she was performing austerity
• tapasyantyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘तपस्यन्ती’ = doing austerity (gen. sg.)

• ciṃtayantyāḥ: (while) she was contemplating
• ciṃtayantyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘चिन्तयन्ती’ = thinking/meditating (gen. sg.)

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• varṣa-sahasrāṇi: thousands of years
• varṣa-sahasrāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्षाणां सहस्राणि)

• jagmuḥ: passed, went by
• jagmuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kālyāḥ: of Kālī / of (the goddess) Kālī
• kālyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tapo-vane: in the forest of austerities
• tapo-vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तपसः वनम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The ‘Kālī’s forest of penance’ functions as a sacred tapas-sthāna rather than a Jyotirliṅga site; the verse marks the immense duration of Pārvatī’s sādhana focused on Maheśvara.

Significance: Highlights dīrgha-tapas (long perseverance) and uninterrupted smaraṇa as the condition for Śiva’s anugraha in Śaiva devotional-ascetic paradigms.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Extended tapas across millennia (three thousand years) emphasizing supra-human time scale

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Maheshvara
• Kali

FAQs

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

It highlights niṣṭhā (steadfastness): Pārvatī’s prolonged tapas joined with unbroken contemplation of Maheśvara shows that inner remembrance of Śiva, sustained over time, purifies the soul (paśu) and prepares it for Śiva’s grace (pati-anugraha).

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

The verse emphasizes saguna-upāsanā—focused meditation on Maheśvara as the personal Lord. In Śaiva practice this same one-pointedness is applied to Liṅga worship, where the devotee offers worship outwardly while holding Śiva inwardly in continuous awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A clear takeaway is sustained japa and dhyāna: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady concentration, supporting it with disciplined living (tapas), and keeping the mind anchored in Śiva-remembrance throughout the day.