Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

तद्गुहाभ्यन्तरे शंभुः किं करोति महेश्वरः । न जानीमो रमानाथ व्यतीयुर्बहवस्समाः

Transliteration

tadguhābhyantare śaṃbhuḥ kiṃ karoti maheśvaraḥ | na jānīmo ramānātha vyatīyurbahavassamāḥ

Translation

“Trong hang động ấy, Śambhu—Mahēśvara—đang làm gì? Chúng tôi không biết, ô Đấng phu quân của Ramā. Nhiều năm tháng đã trôi qua.”

Word by Word

• tad: of that
• tad: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/ genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally, Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifying ‘guhā’ in compound

• guhābhyantare: inside the cave
• guhābhyantare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhā + abhyantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘inside the cave’ (गुहायाः अभ्यन्तरम्)

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of ‘karoti’

• karoti: does
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• maheśvaraḥ: the Great Lord
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya ‘great lord’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध अव्यय)

• jānīmaḥ: we know
• jānīmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु √ज्ञा)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ramānātha: O lord of Ramā
• ramānātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ramā + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa ‘lord of Ramā (Lakṣmī)’

• vyatīyuḥ: passed by
• vyatīyuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु √इ)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural; with prefix vi+ati (व्यती-) ‘passed’

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifying ‘samāḥ’

• samāḥ: years
• samāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Devas (the gods) addressing Lord Vishnu (Ramānātha) in the narrative as relayed by Sūta

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the transcendence of Śiva’s inner work: even gods cannot measure what Mahēśvara accomplishes in hidden tapas. In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, Pati (Śiva) operates beyond the limited knowing of paśus, and His unseen grace ripens souls over time.

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

Śiva “within the cave” points to the inward, concealed presence of the Lord—like the Liṅga that stands as an accessible saguna focus while indicating the nirguna depth behind form. Devotional worship approaches Him with humility, accepting that His divine intention may remain veiled.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is inward worship: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady patience, supported by bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of detachment and Śiva-centered awareness.