Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

गणेश-षण्मुखयोः विवाहविचारः / Deliberation on the Marriages of Gaṇeśa and Ṣaṇmukha

Devanagari script

ततः किमभवत्तात तत्त्वं वद सुरेश्वरः । शिवाशिवयशस्स्फीतं महानन्दप्रदायकम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kimabhavattāta tattvaṃ vada sureśvaraḥ | śivāśivayaśassphītaṃ mahānandapradāyakam

Translation

“Então, o que aconteceu depois, ó querido? Dize a verdade, ó Senhor dos deuses—aquilo que amplia grandemente a fama de Śiva e concede a bem-aventurança suprema.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थे पञ्चमी-भाव (thereafter/then)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अभवत्: happened; became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तात: dear one
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: the truth; the reality
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुर-ईश्वरः: O lord of the gods
• सुर-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/agent addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः)

• शिव-अशिव-यशः: fame of auspicious and inauspicious (matters)
• शिव-अशिव-यशः: Karma (कर्म/qualifying object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अशिव (प्रातिपदिक) + यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (शिवं च अशिवं च) + यशः (fame)

• स्फीतम्: abundant; expanded
• स्फीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to यशः/implicit कथा)

• महा-आनन्द-प्रदायकम्: bestowing great bliss
• महा-आनन्द-प्रदायकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (महानन्दं प्रददाति इति)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (continuing the narration, addressed by Vyasa/Skanda’s interlocutor within the Kumārakhaṇḍa frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific liṅga-site; the verse is a request for ‘tattva’ that increases Śiva’s yaśas and yields mahānanda—i.e., knowledge framed as salvific bliss.

Significance: Recasts the listener’s aim from mere narrative curiosity to tattva-jijñāsā; in Śaiva Siddhānta, such inquiry is a step toward pāśa-ksaya and Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Śiva-kathā as a direct means to increase devotion and attain mahānanda (supreme inner bliss), aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta where Śiva’s grace (anugraha) is awakened through remembrance and praise.

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

By requesting the account that “expands Śiva’s fame,” the verse points to saguna-upāsanā through narrative and praise—an accepted doorway to realize Śiva’s higher reality; in practice, such Śiva-kathā commonly accompanies Liṅga worship and reinforces devotion and right understanding.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to engage in Śiva-kathā-śravaṇa and kīrtana; paired practice can include japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) before or after listening, to internalize the truth being asked for.