Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1

वैवाहिकानुष्ठानसमापनं दानप्रशंसा च / Completion of Wedding Rites and Praise of Gifts

Dāna

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । ततश्चाहं मुनिगणैश्शेषकृत्यं शिवाज्ञया । अकार्षं नारद प्रीत्या शिवाशिवविवाहतः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tataścāhaṃ munigaṇaiśśeṣakṛtyaṃ śivājñayā | akārṣaṃ nārada prītyā śivāśivavivāhataḥ

Translation

برہما نے کہا— پھر شیو کی آگیا سے میں نے مُنیوں کے گروہ کے ساتھ باقی رسوم ادا کیں۔ اے نارَد، شِوا (پاروتی) اور شیو کے مبارک وِواہ کے سبب میں نے یہ سب خوشی سے کیا۔

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of sequence (kāla/krama)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Uttama-puruṣa, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• muni-gaṇaiḥ: with/by the groups of sages
• muni-gaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa/Sahakārī (करण/Instrument or accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदik) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'munīnām gaṇaḥ'

• śeṣa-kṛtyam: the remaining rites/duties
• śeṣa-kṛtyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदik) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'śeṣaṃ kṛtyam' = remaining duty/rites

• śiva-ājñayā: by Śiva's command
• śiva-ājñayā: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/Instrumental cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदik) + ājñā (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (ṣaṣṭhī): 'śivasya ājñā'

• akārṣam: I performed / I did
• akārṣam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (Aorist), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana

• nārada: O Nārada
• nārada: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• prītyā: with joy / out of affection
• prītyā: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• śivā-śiva-vivāhataḥ: from (the occasion of) the marriage of Śivā and Śiva
• śivā-śiva-vivāhataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदik) + śiva (प्रातिपदik) + vivāha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'śivāyāḥ śivasya ca vivāhaḥ' (contextual dvandva inside) + ablative -taḥ

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narada
• Shiva
• Parvati
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dharma as joyful obedience to Śiva’s ājñā (divine command): even exalted beings like Brahmā complete sacred duties as service to Pati (Śiva), revealing that auspicious events (like the divine marriage) are fulfilled through orderly rites performed in devotion.

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

By stressing “Śiva’s command” and the completion of prescribed rites, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship where devotion is expressed through visible, scripturally guided actions—pūjā, saṃskāras, and festival observances—performed as offerings to the Lord who graciously accepts ritual service.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to complete one’s worship without omission (śeṣakṛtya): finish pūjā with proper upacāras, concluding prayers and circumambulation; mentally offer all actions to Śiva while remembering the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an inner seal of devotion.