Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 43

गाणपत्यदानकथा

Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude

Devanagari script

शंकरो बहुधा देवि विहर्तुं संप्रतीक्षते । एवं पतौ सुकामार्ते गम्यतां गिरिनंदिनि

Transliteration

śaṃkaro bahudhā devi vihartuṃ saṃpratīkṣate | evaṃ patau sukāmārte gamyatāṃ girinaṃdini

Translation

ഹേ ദേവീ, ശങ്കരൻ പലവിധത്തിൽ ക്രീഡ ചെയ്യാൻ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു. നിന്റെ പ്രഭു പ്രേമാകാംക്ഷയിൽ വ്യാകുലനായിരിക്കെ, ഹേ ഗിരിനന്ദിനീ, അവിടേക്കു പോകുക.

Word by Word

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

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'in many ways/often')

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विहर्तुम्: to sport
• विहर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विहृ (धातु; वि+हृ)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to sport/play’

• सं-प्रतीक्षते: waits, expects
• सं-प्रतीक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतीक्ष् (धातु; सम्+प्रतीक्ष्)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीतिवाचक (manner adverb: 'thus')

• पतौ: in/with (your) husband
• पतौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context; 'with regard to husband')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सु-काम-आर्ते: O one distressed by strong desire
• सु-काम-आर्ते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुकामेन (अत्यन्तकामेन) आर्ता इति

• गम्यताम्: go (please)
• गम्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative): ‘let it be gone/please go’

• गिरि-नन्दिनि: O daughter of the mountain
• गिरि-नन्दिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—गिरेः नन्दिनी (पर्वतराजस्य दुहिता)

Speaker

An attendant/elder addressing Pārvatī (contextually inferred within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narration as relayed by Sūta Gosvāmin)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord) whose divine will and līlā draw the soul toward union; it frames devotion as a loving response to the Lord’s call, emphasizing grace-filled closeness rather than mere austerity.

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

It points to Saguna Śiva—Śaṅkara as the personal Lord who relates through affection and divine play; Linga worship likewise approaches the transcendent through a merciful, accessible form, fostering intimate bhakti and surrender to Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate loving remembrance (smaraṇa) of Śiva with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and to offer simple upacāras (water, bilva leaves) in a mood of affectionate devotion, especially on Mahāśivarātri.