Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50

नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion

Devanagari script

अथ सा तं समालोक्य प्रसन्नवदनाम्बुजा । अर्पयामास तत्कण्ठे तां मालां वरवर्णिनी

Transliteration

atha sā taṃ samālokya prasannavadanāmbujā | arpayāmāsa tatkaṇṭhe tāṃ mālāṃ varavarṇinī

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ആനന്ദത്തിൽ വിരിഞ്ഞ പദ്മമുഖിയായ, ശ്രേഷ്ഠവർണ്ണിണിയായ അവൾ അവനെ കണ്ടു, അവന്റെ കഴുത്തിൽ ആ മാല അർപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• sā: she
• sā: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samālokya: having looked at
• samālokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ālok (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) उपसर्ग-सम्+आ; ‘having looked at’

• prasanna-vadana-ambujā: whose face-lotus was cheerful
• prasanna-vadana-ambujā: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (प्रसन्नं वदनं यस्याः तत् ‘face-lotus’); बहुपद-कर्मधारयः

• arpayāmāsa: offered/placed
• arpayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arp (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tat-kaṇṭhe: on his neck
• tat-kaṇṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘his’ + ‘neck’)

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mālām: garland
• mālām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vara-varṇinī: the beautiful one
• vara-varṇinī: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘excellent’ + ‘complexioned/beautiful’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The garland-offering expresses bhakti through a tangible act of honor, showing that devotion becomes complete when inner joy and reverence are embodied in respectful worship of Lord Shiva.

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

Garlanding is a classic upacāra (service) of Saguna Shiva worship; the same attitude is applied to the Śiva-liṅga—adorning and offering with devotion—affirming Shiva’s gracious accessibility to loving service.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a flower garland (mālā) as part of pūjā with a focused mind, optionally accompanying the offering with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating reverence and surrender.