Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

विदलोत्पलदैत्ययोरुत्पत्तिः देवपराजयः ब्रह्मोपदेशः नारदप्रेषणम्

Vidalotpala Daityas, Defeat of the Devas, Brahmā’s Counsel, and Nārada’s Mission

Devanagari script

कंदुकानुगसद्दृष्टिनर्तितभ्रूलतांचला । मृडानी किल खेलंती ददृशे जगदम्बिका

Transliteration

kaṃdukānugasaddṛṣṭinartitabhrūlatāṃcalā | mṛḍānī kila khelaṃtī dadṛśe jagadambikā

Translation

कन्दुकानुगसद्दृष्टिनर्तितभ्रूलताञ्चला। मृडानी किल खेलन्ती ददृशे जगदम्बिका॥

Word by Word

• कन्दुक-अनुग-सत्-दृष्टि-नर्तित-भ्रू-लता-अञ्चला: whose eyebrow-vines’ ends danced, her gaze following the ball
• कन्दुक-अनुग-सत्-दृष्टि-नर्तित-भ्रू-लता-अञ्चला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्दुक (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (कृदन्त) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + नर्तित (कृदन्त) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (यस्याः दृष्टिः कन्दुकमनुगच्छति, तया नर्तिते भ्रूलतायाः अञ्चले/अञ्चलौ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृडानी: Mṛḍānī (Pārvatī)
• मृडानी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृडानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• किल: indeed
• किल: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध/बोधक-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/indeed

• खेलन्ती: playing
• खेलन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खेल् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददृशे: was seen / appeared
• ददृशे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• जगत्-अम्बिका: the Mother of the world
• जगत्-अम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जगतः अम्बिका’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It reveals Jagadambikā (Pārvatī) in a tender, accessible form—divine play (līlā) that invites bhakti, showing that the cosmic Mother is also intimately present and lovingly relatable to devotees.

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

By portraying Mṛḍānī beside Rudra in a vivid, personal manner, it supports saguna-upāsanā: devotion to Shiva with attributes, where Shiva is worshipped together with Shakti—complementing Linga worship by emphasizing the living presence behind the symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple bhakti practice is suggested: dhyāna (visual contemplation) on Shiva-Shakti’s auspicious presence while softly repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” letting the mind become steady like her focused gaze.