Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 44

दक्षस्य यज्ञप्रवृत्तिः तथा ईश्वरवर्जितदेवसमागमः

Dakṣa’s Sacrificial Undertaking and the Devas’ Assembly without Īśvara

Devanagari script

आलिंग्य च समाघ्राय मूर्ध्नि षड्वदनं यथा । सस्मिता वचनं प्राह मधुरं मधुरं स्वयम्

Transliteration

āliṃgya ca samāghrāya mūrdhni ṣaḍvadanaṃ yathā | sasmitā vacanaṃ prāha madhuraṃ madhuraṃ svayam

Translation

அவனை அணைத்து, தலையில் அன்புடன் முத்தமிட்டாள்—ஷட்வதனன் (கார்த்திகேயன்) மீது ஒருவர் அன்பு காட்டுவது போல. பின்னர் புன்னகையுடன் அவள் தானே மிக இனிமையான, இனிமையான சொற்களை உரைத்தாள்.

Word by Word

• आलिङ्ग्य: having embraced
• आलिङ्ग्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लिङ्ग् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having embraced’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• समाघ्राय: having smelled
• समाघ्राय: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having smelled/sniffed’

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• षड्वदनम्: Ṣaḍvadana (six-faced one)
• षड्वदनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षण्णां वदनानां समाहारः/षड्वदनः (Skanda)

• यथा: as/just like
• यथा: उपमा/प्रकार (Manner/Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/just as)

• सस्मिता: smiling
• सस्मिता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + स्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; स्मितं यस्याः सा (one who has a smile)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुरम्: sweet
• मधुरम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; वचनम् विशेषयति

• मधुरम्: very sweet
• मधुरम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• स्वयम्: herself
• स्वयम्: कर्तृविशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable; reflexive/emphatic adverb)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti expressed through tenderness and reverence—love offered in purity becomes a sanctifying force that reflects the harmony of Shiva’s divine household and nurtures sattvic devotion in the seeker.

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

It supports Saguna-upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva not only as the formless Pati but also through his divine family and līlā. Such affectionate remembrance steadies the mind, making Linga-worship more heartfelt and intimate.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice devotional smṛti (loving recollection) while chanting the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and cultivate mādhurya-bhāva (gentle sweetness) before beginning Linga-pūjā with bhasma and rudrākṣa.