Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे द्वितीयायां रुद्रसंहितायां चतुर्थे कुमारखण्डे कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe dvitīyāyāṃ rudrasaṃhitāyāṃ caturthe kumārakhaṇḍe kārtikeyalīlāvarṇanaṃ nāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Demikianlah, dalam Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa—pada bahagian kedua, Rudra Saṃhitā; dan dalam pecahan keempatnya, Kumāra-khaṇḍa—berakhirlah Bab Ketiga yang bertajuk “Huraian Līlā Ilahi Dewa Kārtikeya.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• 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: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (निर्धारण/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) — ‘शिवस्य महापुराणम्’

• द्वितीयायाम्: in the second
• द्वितीयायाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying ‘संहितायाम्’

• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Rudra-saṃhitā
• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः — ‘रुद्रस्य संहिता’

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying ‘खण्डे’

• कुमार-खण्डे: in the Kumāra-khaṇḍa section
• कुमार-खण्डे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः — ‘कुमारस्य खण्डः’

• कार्तिकेय-लीला-वर्णनम्: the description of Kārtikeya’s divine play
• कार्तिकेय-लीला-वर्णनम्: Vishaya/Naamapada (विषय/नामपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकेय (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला — ‘कार्तिकेयस्य लीलानां वर्णनम्’

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/label marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), nomen-indicator (नाम-शब्दः)

• तृतीयः: third
• तृतीयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying ‘अध्यायः’

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (traditional Purāṇic reciter concluding the chapter to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon (iti…): a textual closure marking the end of the chapter on Kārtikeya’s līlā; not a site-legend.

Significance: Liturgical cue for pāraṇa/paṭhana: signals completion of an adhyāya; reciters traditionally pause, offer salutations, and dedicate merit (puṇya) to Śiva.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe … kārtikeyalīlāvarṇanaṃ nāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

This is a colophon verse marking the completion of a chapter; spiritually, it frames Kārtikeya’s līlā as sacred narration within the Rudra Saṃhitā, encouraging śravaṇa (devotional listening) that purifies the mind and supports devotion to Śiva’s divine order (pati-tattva).

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

By locating the narrative inside the Śiva Mahāpurāṇa’s Rudra Saṃhitā, it implicitly connects Kārtikeya’s līlā to Saguna Śiva-bhakti—where devotees approach Śiva through his manifest forms, family, and divine acts, which ultimately lead the mind toward Śiva as the supreme Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse itself prescribes no specific rite, but it supports the practice of pāṭha/śravaṇa (recitation and listening) of the Purāṇa as devotion; devotees may accompany such reading with pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and simple Śiva-pūjā as a consistent Shaiva discipline.