Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

ततस्तं पावको गत्वा दृष्ट्वालिंग्य चुचुम्ब च । पुत्रेति चोक्त्वा तस्मै स शस्त्रं शक्तिन्ददौ च सः

Transliteration

tatastaṃ pāvako gatvā dṛṣṭvāliṃgya cucumba ca | putreti coktvā tasmai sa śastraṃ śaktindadau ca saḥ

Translation

Bấy giờ Pāvaka, vị Thần Lửa, đến với ngài; vừa thấy liền ôm ấp và hôn. Gọi ngài là “con”, Ngài ban cho một vũ khí—Śakti của mình (ngọn giáo/quyền năng thiêng).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāvakaḥ: Fire-god (Pāvaka)
• pāvakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form; prior action

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), prior action

• āliṅgya: having embraced
• āliṅgya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āliṅg (आलिङ्ग् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), prior action

• cucumba: kissed
• cucumba: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cumb (चुम्ब् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• putra: O son
• putra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; used in quotation with iti

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle (इति-वाचक)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), prior action

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• śastram: a weapon
• śastram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śaktim: a spear/śakti
• śaktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; appositional/specifying the weapon

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; reiterative pronoun

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Kumāra (Kārttikeya/Skanda)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights anugraha (grace) expressed as empowerment: divine affection (embrace and kiss) culminates in the gift of Śakti, symbolizing spiritual power granted to uphold dharma under Shiva’s cosmic order.

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

In Saguna Shiva devotion, Shiva’s grace flows through his divine family and attendants; the bestowal of Śakti reflects how the Lord’s manifested order equips devotees and divine agents with power for protection—an extension of the Linga’s role as the source of auspicious, sustaining energy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śakti as Shiva’s empowering grace while chanting the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” praying for inner strength (śakti) to overcome impurities (pāśa) and act in alignment with dharma.