Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्

Search for Kārttikeya and the Nandī Dialogue

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे द्वितीयायां रुद्रसंहितायां चतुर्थे कुमारखण्डे कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषणनन्दिसंवादवर्णनं नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe dvitīyāyāṃ rudrasaṃhitāyāṃ caturthe kumārakhaṇḍe kārttikeyānveṣaṇanandisaṃvādavarṇanaṃ nāma caturtho'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਸ਼ਿਵ ਮਹਾਪੁਰਾਣ ਦੇ ਦੂਜੇ ਭਾਗ ਰੁਦ੍ਰਸੰਹਿਤਾ ਦੇ ਚੌਥੇ ਕੁਮਾਰਖੰਡ ਵਿੱਚ ‘ਕਾਰ্তਿਕੇਯ ਦੀ ਖੋਜ ਅਤੇ ਨੰਦੀ-ਸੰਵਾਦ ਦਾ ਵਰਣਨ’ ਨਾਮਕ ਚੌਥਾ ਅਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਹੋਇਆ।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसंहारार्थक-अव्यय (quotative/closing particle)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (नामधेय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• द्वितीयायाम्: in the second
• द्वितीयायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘संहितायाम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Rudra-saṃhitā
• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘खण्डे’ इति विशेषणम्

• कुमार-खण्डे: in the Kumāra section
• कुमार-खण्डे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कार्त्तिकेय-अन्वेषण-नन्दि-संवाद-वर्णनम्: the description of Nandi’s dialogue about the search for Kārttikeya
• कार्त्तिकेय-अन्वेषण-नन्दि-संवाद-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārttikeya (प्रातिपदिक) + anveṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + nandi (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (शीर्षक-समास); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अध्याय-नामरूपेण

• नाम: named/called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः शीर्षकनिर्देशक-निपात (title-indicating particle)

• चतुर्थः: fourth
• चतुर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘अध्यायः’ इति विशेषणम्

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrative colophon closing the chapter)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya
• Nandi

FAQs

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

This is a chapter-colophon that seals the teaching context: the tradition preserves the narrative as a complete unit, emphasizing that devotion to Śiva is guided through His gaṇas (like Nandi) and through the divine family’s līlā, which instructs seekers in bhakti and dharma.

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

By naming Nandi and Kārttikeya within Rudra-saṃhitā, the text highlights Saguna Śiva’s accessible form—worship is supported by His attendants and household deities, who function as channels of grace leading the devotee toward Śiva, the Pati, and ultimately toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

While no specific rite is stated in this colophon, the implied takeaway is steadiness in Śiva-bhakti—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and respectful remembrance of Nandi as the foremost devotee who models focused meditation on Śiva.