Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

दक्षस्य तपः तथा जगदम्बायाः प्रत्यक्षता — Dakṣa’s Austerities and the Direct Manifestation of Jagadambā

Devanagari script

सिंहस्थां कालिकां कृष्णां चारुवक्त्रां चतुर्भुजाम् । वरदाभयनीलाब्जखड्गहस्तां मनोहराम्

Transliteration

siṃhasthāṃ kālikāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ cāruvaktrāṃ caturbhujām | varadābhayanīlābjakhaḍgahastāṃ manoharām

Translation

Hãy quán tưởng Nữ Thần như Kālīkā—thân sắc đen, ngự trên sư tử—dung nhan mỹ lệ, bốn tay, hình tướng mê hoặc; tay ban ân huệ và tay ban vô úy, lại cầm hoa sen xanh và kiếm.

Word by Word

• siṃhasthām: seated on a lion
• siṃhasthām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (कृदन्त/स्थिता-भाव)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (siṃhasya sthā = seated on a lion)

• kālikām: Kālīkā
• kālikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• kṛṣṇām: black/dark
• kṛṣṇām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• cāruvaktrām: having a beautiful face
• cāruvaktrām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāru (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; समासः—कर्मधारय (cāruṃ vaktraṃ yasyāḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात, conjunction)

• caturbhujām: four-armed
• caturbhujām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; समासः—द्विगु (catur-bhujā = four-armed)

• varadābhayanīlābjakhaḍgahastām: whose hands hold boon, fearlessness, blue-lotus, and sword
• varadābhayanīlābjakhaḍgahastām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara-da (प्रातिपदिक) + abhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + nīla-abja (प्रातिपदिक) + khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (varada-abhaya-nīlābja-khaḍga-hastā = she whose hands hold boon-giving, fearlessness, blue-lotus, and sword)

• manoharām: charming
• manoharām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manohara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Kali
• Shakti
• Devi
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a dhyāna (form-meditation) of the Goddess as Shakti—bestowing grace (boons) and removing fear—showing that divine power protects the devotee and supports the Shaiva path toward purification and liberation.

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

In Shaiva tradition, Shakti and Shiva are inseparable; meditating on the Goddess’s saguna form complements Linga worship by cultivating devotion, protection, and inner steadiness, preparing the mind for deeper contemplation of Shiva’s supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna by visualizing the Goddess with these attributes, then offer mantra-japa and simple worship; a Shaiva devotee may pair this with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined purity (bhasma/rudrāksha where appropriate).