Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti

Devanagari script

तपश्चकार पुत्रार्थं सांबमुद्दिश्य शंकरम् । तपसो तेन वर्षांते दृष्टो ऽसौ परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

tapaścakāra putrārthaṃ sāṃbamuddiśya śaṃkaram | tapaso tena varṣāṃte dṛṣṭo 'sau parameśvaraḥ

Translation

പുത്രലാഭം ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് അദ്ദേഹം അംബാസഹിത ശങ്കരനെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച് തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു. ആ തപസ്സിന്റെ ഒരു വർഷാവസാനത്തിൽ അദ്ദേഹം ആ പരമേശ്വരനെ ദർശിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity / penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• चकार: did / performed
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्/perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• पुत्रार्थम्: for the sake of a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘पुत्रस्य अर्थः’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose (प्रयोजनार्थ)

• साम्बम्: Sāmba
• साम्बम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• उद्दिश्य: intending / addressing / dedicating (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/तुमुन्-समकक्ष absolutive (gerund/ल्यबन्त), Avyaya (अव्यय)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तपसः: from/through the austerity
• तपसः: Hetu (हेतु/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी) Singular (एकवचन) (also possible Genitive 6th); here causal/ablatival

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• वर्षान्ते: at the end of the year
• वर्षान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘वर्षस्य अन्तः’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• दृष्टः: was seen / appeared (seen)
• दृष्टः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); passive construction

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘परमः ईश्वरः’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Darśana at the completion of a one-year tapas (vrata-kāla-parisamāpti).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sincere tapas, grounded in devotion to Pati (Śiva) along with Śakti (Ambā), culminates in divine grace—darśana of Parameśvara—showing that disciplined effort becomes fruitful when consecrated to the Lord.

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

It highlights Saguna worship: the devotee focuses on Śaṅkara as the approachable Lord who grants boons and reveals Himself. In Shiva Purana practice, such focused devotion is commonly expressed through Liṅga-pūjā, japa, and vrata, leading to experiential nearness (darśana).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sustained tapas for a fixed period (a vrata), supported by Shiva-oriented japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular worship—ideally with purity disciplines such as bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa where appropriate.