Shloka 51

गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा

Permission for Girijā’s Austerities

Devanagari script

चीरवल्कलसंवीता जटासंघातधारिणी । शिवचिंतनसंसक्ता जिगाय तपसा मुनीम्

Transliteration

cīravalkalasaṃvītā jaṭāsaṃghātadhāriṇī | śivaciṃtanasaṃsaktā jigāya tapasā munīm

Translation

Khoác áo vỏ cây và giẻ rách, mang búi tóc bện dày, hoàn toàn chuyên chú quán niệm Śiva, nàng vượt hơn vị nữ hiền giả nhờ sức mạnh khổ hạnh.

Word by Word

• cīra-valkala-saṃvītā: clad in bark-garments
• cīra-valkala-saṃvītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīra (प्रातिपदिक) + valkala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvīta (कृदन्त; √vī/√ve धातु, सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘संवीता’ = clad; तत्पुरुष-समास (चीरवल्कलेन संवीता)

• jaṭā-saṃghāta-dhāriṇī: wearing a mass of matted locks
• jaṭā-saṃghāta-dhāriṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃghāta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāriṇī (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √dhṛ धातु, णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धारिणी’ = bearer; तत्पुरुष-समास (जटासंघातं धारयति)

• śiva-ciṃtana-saṃsaktā: absorbed in contemplation of Śiva
• śiva-ciṃtana-saṃsaktā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + ciṃtana (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsakta (कृदन्त; सम्-√sañj/√saj धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘संसक्ता’ = attached/absorbed; तत्पुरुष-समास (शिवचिन्तने संसक्ता)

• jigāya: conquered, surpassed
• jigāya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (जि धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• munīm: the (female) sage / ascetic woman
• munīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘मुनि’ शब्दः अत्र स्त्रीरूपे (munī)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; emphasizes ascetic marks and Śiva-cintana as the inner sādhana that surpasses ordinary asceticism.

Significance: Teaches that true tapas is inseparable from Śiva-cintana (contemplation), not merely external hardship.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Pārvatī as the ideal sādhikā: outer renunciation (simple dress, matted hair) supports inner renunciation, and sustained Śiva-chintana purifies the soul so thoroughly that her tapas becomes unsurpassable—showing that grace-oriented devotion to Pati (Śiva) crowns ascetic discipline.

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

Śiva-chintana here implies steady meditation on Saguna Śiva—His auspicious form and qualities—which in Purāṇic practice is commonly supported by Linga-upāsanā, japa, and pūjā; the verse emphasizes that focused remembrance of Śiva is the inner core of such worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

One-pointed meditation and japa on Śiva—especially Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—combined with vrata/tapas (simplicity, restraint, and disciplined living) is the practical takeaway.