Shloka 8

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

पार्वत्युवाच । ब्रह्मचारिस्वरूपेण कस्त्वं हि कुत आगतः । इदं वनं भासयसे वद वेदविदां वर

Transliteration

pārvatyuvāca | brahmacārisvarūpeṇa kastvaṃ hi kuta āgataḥ | idaṃ vanaṃ bhāsayase vada vedavidāṃ vara

Translation

ปารวตีกล่าวว่า “ท่านเป็นผู้ใด และมาจากที่ใด จึงปรากฏในเพศพรหมจารี? ท่านทำให้ป่านี้สว่างไสว—โปรดกล่าวเถิด โอผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่นักรู้พระเวท”

Word by Word

• पार्वती: Pārvatī
• पार्वती: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Sg)

• ब्रह्मचारि-स्वरूपेण: in the form of a brahmacārin
• ब्रह्मचारि-स्वरूपेण: Karaṇa (करण/वेष-करण: in the form of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ब्रह्मचारी एव स्वरूपम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (स्वरूप), तृतीया (Inst/3rd), एकवचन (Sg)

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रश्न-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-प्राय (indeed/for)

• कुतः: from where
• कुतः: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: from where)

• आगतः: come/arrived
• आगतः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate of ‘त्वम्’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Sg)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘भासयसे’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन (Sg)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘भासयसे’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन (Sg)

• भासयसे: you illumine
• भासयसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhās (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Sg); causative sense ‘to illumine’ (भासय-)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Sg)

• वेद-विदाम्: of the knowers of the Veda
• वेद-विदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद: वेदं वेत्ति इति वेदविद्), पुंलिङ्ग (M), षष्ठी (Gen/6th), बहुवचन (Pl)

• वर: O best/excellent one
• वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), सम्बोधन (Voc/8th), एकवचन (Sg)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Disguise and concealment dominate: Śiva’s identity is veiled (tirodhāna) while his tejas shines through, prompting Pārvatī’s discerning inquiry.

Significance: Encourages viveka: the divine may appear as a simple brahmacārin; recognizing ‘tejas’ and seeking truth with humility is praised.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how the Divine (Śiva) may approach the devotee in a humble, disciplined guise to test sincerity and awaken discernment; Pārvatī’s reverent inquiry models the devotee’s attentive, respectful approach to sacred encounters.

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

Though Śiva is beyond attributes (nirguṇa), the Purāṇa emphasizes His compassionate, saguna manifestations for devotees; the brahmacārin form is a leelā that makes the transcendent Lord approachable—just as the Liṅga is an accessible focus for worship of the formless Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined purity (brahmacarya), humble questioning (śraddhā), and meditative alertness—approaching Śiva through steady tapas and devotion; this aligns with regular japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and a life of restraint and clarity.