Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana) — “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”

Devanagari script

शय्यां रतिकरीं कृत्वा पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिताम् । अद्भुतां तत्र परमां भोगवस्त्वन्वितां शुभाम्

Transliteration

śayyāṃ ratikarīṃ kṛtvā puṣpacandanacarcitām | adbhutāṃ tatra paramāṃ bhogavastvanvitāṃ śubhām

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น พระองค์ทรงจัดแท่นบรรทมอันปลุกเร้าความรื่นรมย์ ประดับด้วยดอกไม้และทาด้วยจันทน์หอม; พร้อมทั้งทรงจัดการอันน่าอัศจรรย์ ยอดเยี่ยม เป็นมงคล และครบด้วยเครื่องเสวยสุขทั้งปวง।

Word by Word

• शय्याम्: a bed
• शय्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रतिकरीम्: producing pleasure
• रतिकरीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रति + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रतिं करोति इति); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having made’

• पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिताम्: smeared/adorned with flowers and sandalwood
• पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प + चन्दन + चर्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुष्पैः चन्दनेन च चर्चिता); भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्)

• अद्भुताम्: wonderful
• अद्भुताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• परमाम्: supreme / excellent
• परमाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्)

• भोगवस्तु: objects of enjoyment
• भोगवस्तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग + वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भोगस्य वस्तु); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्गरूप)

• अन्विताम्: endowed with
• अन्विताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + इ (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्); ‘भोगवस्तु’ इत्यनेन सह (endowed with)

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (शय्याम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; the ‘divine couch’ imagery functions as a Purāṇic poetic exteriorization of the bliss (ānanda) of Śiva-Śakti union.

Significance: Encourages devotees to view sacred space as ‘śiva-śayana’—a purified inner altar where worldly distraction is set aside.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

FAQs

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

The verse depicts how an environment of comfort and beauty can be made śubha (auspicious) when arranged with purity and reverence—suggesting that even bhoga (enjoyment) becomes spiritually aligned when subordinated to dharma and devotion rather than egoic craving.

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

Flowers and sandalwood are classic upacāras (offerings) used in Saguna Shiva worship; the same principle of sanctifying space and senses applies to Linga-pūjā, where sensory beauty is offered back to Shiva as Pati (the Lord) rather than consumed as mere indulgence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies upacāra-bhakti: preparing a clean, fragrant worship-space with flowers and sandal paste; inwardly, it supports sense-discipline by converting sensory pleasure into an offering—often accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” in a calm, purified setting.