Shiva Purana — Satarudra Samhita, Shloka 10

अवधूतेश्वरलीला (Avadhūteśvara-līlā) — Śiva Tests Indra’s Pride on the Way to Kailāsa

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । शक्रेणेत्थं स पृष्टश्च किंचिन्नोवाच पूरुषः । लीलागृहीतदेहस्स शङ्करो मदहा प्रभुः

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | śakreṇetthaṃ sa pṛṣṭaśca kiṃcinnovāca pūruṣaḥ | līlāgṛhītadehassa śaṅkaro madahā prabhuḥ

Translation

Sinabi ni Nandīśvara: Nang tanungin nang gayon ni Śakra (Indra), ang Kaniyang Persona ay hindi nagsalita ni kaunti. Siya’y si Panginoong Śaṅkara, ang Makapangyarihang pumupuksa sa pagmamataas, na nag-anyong katawan dahil lamang sa līlā—banal na paglalaro.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नन्दी + ईश्वर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शक्रेण: by Indra
• शक्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाण (indefinite)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पूरुषः: the man/person
• पूरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लीला-गृहीत-देहः: whose body was assumed playfully
• लीला-गृहीत-देहः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + गृहीत (कृदन्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—लीलया गृहीतः देहः यस्य (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषपूर्वकः)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मदहा: destroyer of pride/intoxication
• मदहा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक) + ह (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—मदं हन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Nandi

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the Supreme Pati (Lord), may remain silent and concealed, yet His presence dissolves ego (mada). Spiritual maturity is shown through humility before the Lord’s inscrutable līlā.

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

Shiva is portrayed as taking a manifest form by līlā (Saguna expression) while remaining beyond ordinary grasp. This mirrors how devotees approach the transcendent through accessible forms such as the Linga and divine appearances in Purāṇic stories.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ego-reducing japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with a mood of silence, surrender, and inner humility; this aligns with Shiva as madahā, the remover of pride.