Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 55

शिवशिवयोर्जगत्पितृमातृत्व-प्रतिपादनं तथा मेनायाः विमोहः (Śiva–Śivā as Cosmic Father and Mother; Menā’s Delusion and the Sages’ Intervention)

Devanagari script

वरं ददौ शिवायै स तपन्त्यै तात शंकरः । नहीश्वरप्रतिज्ञातं विपरीताय कल्पते

Transliteration

varaṃ dadau śivāyai sa tapantyai tāta śaṃkaraḥ | nahīśvarapratijñātaṃ viparītāya kalpate

Translation

Hỡi người thân yêu, khi Śivā (Pārvatī) đang tu khổ hạnh, Śaṅkara đã ban cho nàng một ân phúc; bởi điều đã được Đấng Tối Thượng thệ nguyện thì không bao giờ có thể trở thành trái ngược với ý chỉ thiêng liêng của Ngài.

Word by Word

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• शिवायै: to Śivā (Pārvatī)
• शिवायै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; Feminine, Dative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (pronoun)

• तपन्त्यै: to (her) who was performing austerities
• तपन्त्यै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपन्ती (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; तप् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; Feminine, Dative, Singular; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष) ‘one who is doing tapas’

• तात: O dear (father/son)!
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• ईश्वर-प्रतिज्ञातम्: (that which is) promised by the Lord
• ईश्वर-प्रतिज्ञातम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्रति√ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ईश्वरस्य प्रतिज्ञातम्’ (promised by the Lord)

• विपरीताय: to the opposite (result)
• विपरीताय: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सति—चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative, Singular; (used as ‘to the contrary/opposite’)

• कल्पते: is possible / is fitting
• कल्पते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present, 3rd person, Singular; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages, within the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It affirms the unfailing nature of Īśvara’s sankalpa (divine resolve): sincere tapas and devotion culminate in Śiva’s anugraha, and the Lord’s vow does not become fruitless or contrary.

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

Saguna Śiva, approached through form—such as the Liṅga—responds to steadfast bhakti and vrata; the verse highlights that the devotee’s trust rests on the Lord’s reliable promise to bestow grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to tapas supported by japa—especially Pañcākṣarī mantra japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—and disciplined vrata observance (as in Mahāśivarātri traditions), undertaken with unwavering faith in Śiva’s boon-bestowing grace.