Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

तारकवधोत्तरं देवस्तुतिः पर्वतवरप्रदानं च / Devas’ Hymn after Tāraka’s Slaying and the Bestowal of Boons upon the Mountains

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्ट्वा कुमारं तं तनयं प्राणवल्लभम् । तौ दंपती शिवौ देवौ मुमुदातेऽति नारद

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭvā kumāraṃ taṃ tanayaṃ prāṇavallabham | tau daṃpatī śivau devau mumudāte'ti nārada

Translation

अथ दृष्ट्वा कुमारं तं तनयं प्राणवल्लभम् । तौ दम्पती शिवौ देवौ मुमुदातेऽति नारद ॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• कुमारम्: Kumāra
• कुमारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• तनयम्: son
• तनयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राण-वल्लभम्: dear as life
• प्राण-वल्लभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणानां वल्लभः)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• दम्पती: the couple (husband and wife)
• दम्पती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (युगलार्थे), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• शिवौ: Śiva and (his) counterpart (the two Śivas)
• शिवौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• मुमुदाते: rejoiced
• मुमुदाते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma (narrating to Narada)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Narada
• Kumara (Kartikeya/Skanda)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s accessible saguna aspect: the Supreme Lord, while transcendent as Pati (the Lord), also manifests tender grace within divine leela—inviting devotees to approach him through loving bhakti rather than fear or mere abstraction.

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

While Linga worship points to Shiva’s formless, all-pervading reality, this scene emphasizes saguna devotion—contemplating Shiva as the compassionate divine person who participates in sacred leelas. Both modes harmonize in Shaiva tradition: the Linga as tattva, and the leela as devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is leela-smaraṇa (devotional recollection) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating vātsalya-bhāva (tender devotion) toward Shiva—optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrāksha as Shaiva supports.