Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

सत्यप्रतिज्ञा-तपःसंवादः

Pārvatī’s Vow of Truth and the Dialogue on Her Tapas

Devanagari script

त्वं स्त्रीरत्नं तव पिता राजा निखिल भूभृताम् । तथाविधं पतिं कस्मादुग्रेण तपसेहसे

Transliteration

tvaṃ strīratnaṃ tava pitā rājā nikhila bhūbhṛtām | tathāvidhaṃ patiṃ kasmādugreṇa tapasehase

Translation

Con là báu vật giữa muôn phụ nữ, và phụ thân con là bậc vương tối thượng trong các vua trên cõi đất. Vậy cớ sao con lại tìm cầu một phu quân như thế bằng khổ hạnh nghiêm khắc (tapas)?

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (gender-contextual)

• स्त्रीरत्नम्: a jewel of a woman
• स्त्रीरत्नम्: Predicative/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (रत्नरूपा स्त्री = a jewel among women)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निखिलः: of all
• निखिलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (भूभृताम् qualifies)

• भूभृताम्: of kings
• भूभृताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; (भूभृत् = king, earth-bearer)

• तथाविधम्: such a
• तथाविधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; अव्यय-तत्पुरुष (तथा-विध = of such a kind)

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कस्मात्: from what reason/why
• कस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• उग्रेण: severe
• उग्रेण: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (तपसा qualifies)

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

• ईहसे: you strive/seek
• ईहसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Himālaya (Himavān), speaking to Pārvatī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It highlights that worldly excellence—beauty, virtue, and royal lineage—cannot substitute for the soul’s deeper longing for union with Pati (Lord Shiva); hence the need for tapas rooted in devotion and inner purification.

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

Pārvatī’s seeking of an exalted पति points toward choosing Shiva as the supreme refuge; in practice, devotees approach Saguna Shiva through Linga worship, where steadfast devotion and self-discipline mature into grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies disciplined tapas—regular japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), simple living, and focused meditation on Shiva (often supported by Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa in Shaiva practice).