Shloka 35

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

ऊढेयं न च केनापि न वाञ्छति शिवात्परम् । त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि तपश्चरणसाधिनी

Transliteration

ūḍheyaṃ na ca kenāpi na vāñchati śivātparam | trīṇi varṣasahasrāṇi tapaścaraṇasādhinī

Translation

सा केनापि नोढेया, शिवात्परं न वाञ्छति। तपश्चर्यापरायणा त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि तपः अकरोत्॥

Word by Word

• ऊढेयम्: (she is) to be married / marriageable
• ऊढेयम्: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह् (धातु) → ऊढ (कृदन्त) + इय (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative): ‘to be married/fit to be wedded’ (potential/gerundive sense)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• केन: by whom/with anyone
• केन: करण (Karaṇa/Agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• अपि: even/any
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/any)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• वाञ्छति: desires
• वाञ्छति: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• शिवात्: than Śiva / from Śiva
• शिवात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Standard of comparison-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• परम्: anything else/higher
• परम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण used substantively: ‘something higher/other’

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: thousands of years
• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: काल-अधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वर्षाणां सहस्राणि’ (thousands of years)

• तपः-चरण-साधिनी: she who practices austerities
• तपः-चरण-साधिनी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + साधिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण: ‘तपःचरणं साधयति इति’ (one who accomplishes/undertakes austerity-practice)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames Pārvatī’s niścaya (exclusive choice) and tapas as the precondition for Śiva’s anugraha culminating in the divine marriage.

Significance: Paradigm for devotees: exclusive refuge in Śiva (ananya-bhakti) and sustained discipline (tapas) as the means to receive grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Long-duration tapas over 'three thousand years' (hyperbolic purāṇic timescale emphasizing steadfastness).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Pārvatī’s ekāgratā (single-pointed resolve): she seeks only Śiva as the supreme Pati, and her long tapas shows that divine union is attained through disciplined purity, devotion, and perseverance.

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

Pārvatī’s desire for Śiva alone reflects Saguna-upāsanā—loving devotion to the personal Lord. In the Purāṇic path, such devotion naturally culminates in reverence for Śiva’s presence as the Liṅga, the accessible form through which grace is received.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights tapas as sustained sādhana—regular japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), vows of purity, and steady meditation on Śiva, performed with patience over time.