Shloka 44

Jaṭilāvatāra-Parīkṣā: Pārvatyāḥ Tapasāṃ Parīkṣaṇam

The Jaṭilā Episode and the Testing of Pārvatī’s Austerity

Devanagari script

यथा तथा भवेद्रुद्रो मायया बहुरूपवान् । ममाभीष्टप्रदोऽत्यन्तं निर्विकारः सताम्प्रियः

Transliteration

yathā tathā bhavedrudro māyayā bahurūpavān | mamābhīṣṭaprado'tyantaṃ nirvikāraḥ satāmpriyaḥ

Translation

రుద్రుడు తన మాయచేత ‘ఇది’ లేదా ‘అది’గా మారి అనేక రూపాలు ధరిస్తాడు; అయినా ఆయన నా అభీష్ట వరదాత, సర్వథా నిర్వికారుడు, సజ్జనులకు ప్రియుడు.

Word by Word

• yathā: as/how
• yathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथाशब्द (correlative adverb)

• tathā: so/thus
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथाशब्द (correlative adverb)

• bhavet: may become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘may be/can become’

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• māyayā: by (his) māyā
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• bahurūpavān: many-formed
• bahurūpavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (मतुप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण — ‘possessing many forms’

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• abhīṣṭa: desired (wish)
• abhīṣṭa: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद (in compound); अर्थ: ‘desired’

• pradaḥ: giver
• pradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra- (उपसर्ग) + dā (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (agent noun) — ‘giver’

• atyantam: exceedingly
• atyantam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyantam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण — ‘exceedingly/utterly’

• nirvikāraḥ: unchanging
• nirvikāraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- (उपसर्ग) + vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘without change’

• satām: of the good
• satām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘of the good/virtuous’

• priyaḥ: dear/beloved
• priyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘dear’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Rudra)

FAQs

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

It reconciles Shiva’s many manifest forms (saguṇa expression through māyā) with His essential nature as nirvikāra (unchanging Pati), teaching that devotion reaches the same Supreme even amid diverse appearances.

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

The verse supports Linga and form-based worship by affirming that Rudra can truly ‘become’ many worshipful forms for devotees, while remaining inwardly unchanged—so saguṇa worship becomes a doorway to realizing the nirvikāra Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady bhakti with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and one-pointed remembrance of Rudra as both multiform and changeless—seeking His grace as the giver of the devotee’s highest good (ultimately liberation).