Shloka 29

पार्वतीवाक्यं—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्व-निरूपणम्

Pārvatī’s Discourse: Establishing Śiva as Parabrahman

Devanagari script

यथा तथा भवेद्रुद्रो यथा वा बहुरूपवान् । ममाभीष्टतमो नित्यं निर्विकारी सतां प्रियः

Transliteration

yathā tathā bhavedrudro yathā vā bahurūpavān | mamābhīṣṭatamo nityaṃ nirvikārī satāṃ priyaḥ

Translation

രുദ്രൻ എങ്ങനെയായാലും—ഇങ്ങനെ ആയാലും അങ്ങനെ ആയാലും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അനേകരൂപനായാലും—അവൻ എപ്പോഴും എനിക്ക് അത്യന്തം പ്രിയൻ; അവൻ നിർവികാരി, സത്പുരുഷന്മാർക്ക് നിത്യപ്രിയൻ.

Word by Word

• yathā: as; in whatever way
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb/correlative (यथा-तथा)

• tathā: so; in that way
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb/correlative

• bhavet: may be; should become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle of option (विकल्पार्थक)

• bahu-rūpa-vān: having many forms
• bahu-rūpa-vān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (प्रत्यय/वन्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘बहूनि रूपाणि यस्य सः’

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• abhīṣṭa-tamaḥ: most desired
• abhīṣṭa-tamaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तमप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); superlative (तमप्)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषण)

• nir-vikārī: unchanging
• nir-vikārī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- (उपसर्ग) + vikārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्/निर्-प्रत्ययार्थ: ‘without change’

• satām: of the good (people)
• satām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) or common, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘of the good/virtuous’

• priyaḥ: dear; beloved
• priyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms iṣṭa-devatā-niṣṭhā: devotion remains steady across Śiva’s many manifestations; supports pilgrimage/temple diversity without sectarianism.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that Rudra may appear in many forms (saguṇa expressions), yet His essence is nirvikārī—unchanging Reality. Devotion matures when one loves Shiva beyond outer form, recognizing the same Pati (Lord) in every manifestation.

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

The verse supports Linga-worship as a unifying symbol: even if Shiva is worshiped through varied forms and names, the devotee holds to one changeless Lord. Thus saguna worship (murti/linga) becomes a doorway to realizing Shiva’s formless, unmodified nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with one-pointed bhakti, contemplating Shiva as bahurūpa in appearance yet nirvikārī in essence.