Shloka 34

Sunartaka-Naṭa Avatāra and Pārvatī’s Boon-Request (Śiva as the Testing Benefactor)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां सुनर्तकनटाह्वशिवावतारवर्णनंनाम चतुस्त्रिंशोध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ sunartakanaṭāhvaśivāvatāravarṇanaṃnāma catustriṃśodhyāyaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ശ്രീശിവ മഹാപുരാണത്തിന്റെ മൂന്നാം ഭാഗമായ ശതരുദ്രസംഹിതയിൽ ‘സുനർത്തക-നടൻ എന്ന ശിവാവതാരത്തിന്റെ വർണ്ണനം’ എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള മുപ്പത്തിനാലാം അധ്യായം സമാപ്തമായി.

Word by Word

• इति: thus; so (ending marker)
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्रीशिवस्य महापुराणम्)

• तृतीयायाम्: in the third
• तृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संहिता-शब्दस्य)

• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Śatarudra-saṃhitā
• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शतरुद्राणां संहिता)

• सुनर्तक-नट-आह्व-शिव-अवतार-वर्णनम्: the description of Śiva’s incarnation called Sunartaka-Naṭa
• सुनर्तक-नट-आह्व-शिव-अवतार-वर्णनम्: Karma (कर्म/object; as title-content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्गवत्/अव्यय) + नर्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + नट (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सुनर्तकनट-आह्वः शिवस्य अवतारः तस्य वर्णनम्)

• नाम: named; called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (naming particle)

• चतुस्त्रिंशः: thirty-fourth
• चतुस्त्रिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुस्त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/subject; chapter-heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (traditional Purāṇic narrator concluding the chapter to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This is a colophon marking the completion of a chapter, affirming that Śiva’s avatāras (saguna manifestations) are legitimate Purāṇic revelations through which devotees understand His grace, protection, and liberating power.

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

By naming a specific Śiva-avatāra (Sunartaka/Naṭa), it points to saguna contemplation—devotion to Śiva’s manifest forms—while remaining consistent with Śaiva Siddhānta where the same Pati (Śiva) can be worshipped both as the formless supreme and through sacred forms, including the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a chapter-ending formula, it indirectly supports śravaṇa and smaraṇa (listening and remembrance) of Śiva’s līlā; a practical takeaway is to conclude recitation with devotion and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering the merit to Śiva.