Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion

Devanagari script

इति शप्त्वा हरिं मोहान्नारदोऽज्ञानमोहितः । विष्णुर्जग्राह तं शापं प्रशंसञ्शांभवीमजाम्

Transliteration

iti śaptvā hariṃ mohānnārado'jñānamohitaḥ | viṣṇurjagrāha taṃ śāpaṃ praśaṃsañśāṃbhavīmajām

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ മോഹവശാൽ അജ്ഞാനത്തിൽ മയങ്ങിയ നാരദൻ ഹരിയെ ശപിച്ചു. വിഷ്ണു ആ ശാപം സ്വീകരിച്ച് അജന്മയായ ശാംഭവീ ശക്തിയെ പ്രശംസിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• शप्त्वा: having cursed
• शप्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—शप् (1P) ‘to curse’

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोहात्: from delusion
• मोहात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अज्ञान-मोहितः: bewildered by ignorance
• अज्ञान-मोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from मुह् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानेन मोहितः) विशेषणम् नारदस्य

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जग्राह: accepted, took up
• जग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शापम्: curse
• शापम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रशंसन्: praising
• प्रशंसन्: Kriya (क्रिया/attendant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषण/सहक्रिया

• शाम्भवीम्: Śāmbhavī (the Śakti of Śambhu)
• शाम्भवीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाम्भवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अजाम्: the unborn goddess (Aja)
• अजाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Vishnu
• Hari
• Shiva
• Shambhavi Shakti

FAQs

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

It shows how ajñāna (ignorance) produces moha (delusion) even in exalted beings, while a sattvic soul like Viṣṇu accepts consequences calmly—pointing to Shaiva teaching that clarity arises by honoring Śiva-Śakti and transcending delusion.

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

By praising Śāmbhavī, the verse emphasizes Śiva’s manifest power (Saguna aspect) that governs creation and events; Linga-worship honors Śiva together with His Śakti, the source of auspicious order beyond personal rivalry.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa with the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Śiva-Śakti as unborn and purifying—paired with simple śiva-pūjā such as offering water to the Liṅga and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) to reduce moha and cultivate steadiness.