Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

अथ गुर्विन्द्रयोर्ज्ञात्वागमनं शंकरः प्रभुः । परीक्षितुं तयोर्ज्ञानं स्वदर्शनरतात्मनोः

Transliteration

atha gurvindrayorjñātvāgamanaṃ śaṃkaraḥ prabhuḥ | parīkṣituṃ tayorjñānaṃ svadarśanaratātmanoḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ പ്രഭു ശങ്കരൻ ഗുരുവിന്റെയും ഇന്ദ്രന്റെയും വരവ് അറിഞ്ഞ്, തന്റെ ദർശനത്തിൽ ലീനമായിരുന്ന ആ ഇരുവരുടെയും ജ്ഞാനം പരീക്ഷിക്കുവാൻ നിശ്ചയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक/आरम्भार्थक (indeclinable particle: then/now)

• गुरु-इन्द्रयोः: of the Guru and Indra
• गुरु-इन्द्रयोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (copulative)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• आगमनम्: the arrival
• आगमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे उपपद (appositional)

• परीक्षितुम्: to test/examine
• परीक्षितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to examine)

• तयोः: of the two (of them)
• तयोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स्व-दर्शन-रत-आत्मनोः: of the two whose minds/souls were devoted to their own vision
• स्व-दर्शन-रत-आत्मनोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/सामान्य (आत्मन्-शब्द) — 'whose selves are devoted to their own seeing'

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Śiva’s ‘testing’ of knowledge illustrates tirodhāna (concealment) preceding anugraha: the Lord veils Himself or creates obstacles to mature the devotee’s understanding and humility.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Guru

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who tests the seeker’s jñāna and inner maturity; true progress is measured not by status (like Indra’s) but by readiness for Śiva-darśana and grace.

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

The verse emphasizes “darśana” (direct sacred encounter) with Śiva—central to Saguna worship, where the devotee approaches Śiva through form (including Liṅga) and is refined by trials that purify understanding and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate steadiness for Śiva-darśana through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined devotion, accepting tests as part of sādhana.