Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

नारदोऽपि परं प्रीतो ध्यायञ्छिवमनन्यधीः । विचचार महीं पश्यञ्छिवतीर्थान्यभीक्ष्णशः

Transliteration

nārado'pi paraṃ prīto dhyāyañchivamananyadhīḥ | vicacāra mahīṃ paśyañchivatīrthānyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ

Translation

നാരദനും പരമാനന്ദത്തിൽ നിറഞ്ഞ്, അനന്യചിത്തത്തോടെ ശിവധ്യാനത്തിൽ ലീനനായി, ഭൂമിയിലുടനീളം സഞ്ചരിച്ചു, ശിവന്റെ പുണ്യ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളെ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ദർശിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (नारद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक; particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); sense: ‘also/even’

• param: exceedingly/very
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) used adverbially; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (प्रीत; √prī धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhyāyan: meditating
• dhyāyan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (ध्यै धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ananya-dhīḥ: with unwavering/undivided mind
• ananya-dhīḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananya (अनन्य) + dhī (धी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi-like sense ‘one whose thought is undivided’, but form is karmadhāraya on dhī

• vicacāra: wandered
• vicacāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + car (चर् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mahīm: the earth
• mahīm: Karma (कर्म; object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (मही प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• paśyan: seeing
• paśyan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु; paśyati)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śiva-tīrthāni: Śiva’s sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• śiva-tīrthāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव) + tīrtha (तीर्थ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• abhīkṣṇaśaḥ: repeatedly, again and again
• abhīkṣṇaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhīkṣṇaśas (अभीक्ष्णशस् अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Nārada’s earth-wandering to behold Śiva-tīrthas anticipates later site-specific glorifications; here it functions as a template for tīrtha-yātrā as bhakti-sādhana.

Significance: Establishes ‘darśana of Śiva-tīrthas’ as a repeated (abhīkṣṇaśaḥ) devotional discipline that stabilizes ananya-dhī (single-pointedness).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents the Shaiva path of inner absorption (single-pointed dhyāna on Śiva) combined with outer sanctification through darśana of Śiva-tīrthas, showing how devotion ripens into steady God-remembrance and purity.

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

Śiva-tīrthas are commonly centered on Śiva’s manifest presence—especially the Liṅga in temples—so Nārada’s repeated visits emphasize Saguna worship as a support for continuous meditation and ananya-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady dhyāna with an undivided mind (ananya-dhī), supported by regular tīrtha-yātrā/darśana of Śiva shrines; this pairs well with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined devotional conduct.