Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

तावत्स्त्रियस्समाजग्मुर्हित्वा कामाननेकशः । बह्व्यस्ताः पुरवासिन्यश्शिवदर्शनलालसाः

Transliteration

tāvatstriyassamājagmurhitvā kāmānanekaśaḥ | bahvyastāḥ puravāsinyaśśivadarśanalālasāḥ

Translation

அப்போது பல பெண்கள் ஒன்றுகூடி வந்தனர்; பலவகை உலக ஆசைகளை விட்டுவிட்டு. அவர்கள் நகரவாசிகளான எண்ணற்ற பெண்கள்; அனைவரும் பரமசிவனின் புனித தரிசனத்திற்காக ஏங்கினர்।

Word by Word

• तावत्: then, at that time
• तावत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समाजग्मुः: came together, assembled
• समाजग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अनेकशः: in many ways, completely
• अनेकशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘in many ways/entirely’)

• बह्व्यः: many
• बह्व्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुर-वासिन्यः: female city-dwellers
• पुर-वासिन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (पुरे वासिन्यः)

• शिव-दर्शन-लालसाः: eager to see Śiva
• शिव-दर्शन-लालसाः: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य दर्शनम्) + तत्पुरुष (दर्शनस्य लालसाः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Darśana-lālasā (yearning for Śiva’s sight) is portrayed as a purifier of kāma; pilgrimage/darśana is framed as a means to loosen pāśa (attachments).

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta movement from kāma (worldly craving) toward bhakti: the heart turns away from fleeting objects and becomes intensely oriented to Śiva-darśana, which purifies the pashu (bound soul) and ripens it for grace.

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

Their eagerness for Śiva’s darśana expresses Saguna-upāsanā—approaching Śiva as the accessible Lord who can be seen and worshiped. In practice, this longing is fulfilled through Liṅga-darśana and reverent approach, where the devotee’s desire is redirected into devotional surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate darśana-bhāva: visit a Śiva temple for Liṅga-darśana, offer bilva leaves and water, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” mentally renouncing distracting desires while focusing on Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord).