Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

काचिद्धस्ते शलाकां च धृत्वांजनकरा प्रिया । अञ्जित्वैकाक्षि सन्द्रष्टुं ययौ शैलसुतावरम्

Transliteration

kāciddhaste śalākāṃ ca dhṛtvāṃjanakarā priyā | añjitvaikākṣi sandraṣṭuṃ yayau śailasutāvaram

Translation

ایک محبوبہ عورت ہاتھ میں اَنجن کی سَلاکا لیے اور سرمہ ساتھ رکھے ہوئے، ایک آنکھ میں سرمہ لگا کر شَیل سُتا برتر (پاروتی) کے دیدار کو گئی۔

Word by Word

• काचित्: a certain (woman)
• काचित्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-निर्देश (some woman)

• हस्ते: in (her) hand
• हस्ते: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन; ‘in (her) hand’

• शलाकाम्: a stick/probe
• शलाकाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धृत्वा: having taken/holding
• धृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having held/taken’

• अञ्जन-करा: with collyrium in hand
• अञ्जन-करा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; ‘अञ्जनं करः यस्याः’ (having collyrium in hand / collyrium-applier)

• प्रिया: a beloved (woman)
• प्रिया: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन; ‘beloved woman’

• अञ्जित्वा: having applied (collyrium)
• अञ्जित्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having anointed/applied (collyrium)’

• एक-अक्षि: one eye
• एक-अक्षि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; ‘one eye’ (object of anointing)

• सन्द्रष्टुम्: to see
• सन्द्रष्टुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), उपसर्गः सम्; ‘to see/behold’

• ययौ: she went
• ययौ: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शैल-सुता-वरम्: the excellent daughter of the mountain (Pārvatī)
• शैल-सुता-वरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + सुता (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; ‘शैलस्य सुता’ (Pārvatī) + ‘वर’ (best/excellent); here: ‘the excellent daughter of the mountain’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights reverential approach to the Divine Mother (Pārvatī) through sincere intent and respectful meeting; in Śaiva devotion, honoring Śakti is integral to honoring Śiva, since Śiva is inseparable from His power (Śakti).

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

The verse supports Saguna-bhakti through narrative: drawing near to Pārvatī (Śiva’s consort) is part of approaching the Śiva-tattva as accessible, relational divinity—an attitude that also underlies temple and Liṅga worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

No direct ritual is prescribed, but the takeaway is devotional discipline: approach darśana with cleanliness, adornment, and focused intention—paralleling preparatory practices before pūjā such as bathing, applying bhasma/tripuṇḍra, and mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya).