Shloka 18

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

अत्रैव शम्भुनाऽकारि सुतपश्च स्मरारिणा । अत्रैव दग्धस्तेनाशु कामो मुनितपोपहः

Transliteration

atraiva śambhunā'kāri sutapaśca smarāriṇā | atraiva dagdhastenāśu kāmo munitapopahaḥ

Translation

ఇక్కడే స్మరారియైన శంభువు ఘోర తపస్సు చేశాడు; అలాగే ఇక్కడే మునుల తపస్సును భంగపెట్టే కాముడు ఆయన చేత త్వరగా దగ్ధమయ్యాడు।

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देशवाचक अव्यय), ‘here’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (अवधारण-निपात), emphasis ‘indeed/just’

• śambhunā: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhunā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• akāri: was performed / was done
• akāri: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (लुङ्/aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Eka-vacana (singular); ātmanepada/passive-like usage: ‘was done’

• su-tapaḥ: great austerity
• su-tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘excellent austerity’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• smara-ariṇā: by the foe of Smara (Kāma)
• smara-ariṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smara (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘enemy of Smara (Kāma)’ = Śiva

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (अवधारण-निपात)

• dagdhaḥ: burnt
• dagdhaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dah (दह् धातु) → dagdha (कृदन्त, past participle)
• Form: Kta (क्त), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with kāmaḥ

• tena: by him
• tena: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napumsaka, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); refers to Śiva

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय), adverb ‘quickly’

• kāmaḥ: Kāma (the god of desire)
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• muni-tapaḥ-upahaḥ: the destroyer of sages’ austerities
• muni-tapaḥ-upahaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + upaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘one who harms sages’ austerities’ (upaha = destroyer/hinderer)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse marks a sacred locale where Śiva’s tapas and the burning of Kāma occurred; later traditions often treat such sites as kṣetras where desire is subdued and tapas is protected.

Significance: Darśana/ स्मरण of this episode is held to aid brahmacarya, steadiness in sādhana, and removal of kāma-vāsanā that obstructs japa and dhyāna.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Kama (Smara)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as Smarāri—He who burns desire—showing that liberation (mokṣa) arises when pasha (bondage as craving) is subdued by tapas, discipline, and the grace of Pati (Śiva).

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

It supports Saguna worship by meditating on Śiva’s specific form and act—Smarāri—whose protective power preserves spiritual practice. Linga worship likewise centers the mind on Śiva as the inner Lord who consumes distractions and steadies the sādhaka.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice desire-restraint with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady dhyāna on Śiva as Smarāri; on Mahāśivarātri, intensify vrata (discipline), night-vigil, and focused meditation to protect one’s tapas.