Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

पूर्वे दिशो मन्दर शैलसंस्था कपर्द्दिनश्चंडपराकमस्य । चक्रे ततो नेत्रनिमीलनं तु सा पार्वती नर्मयुतं सलीलम्

Transliteration

pūrve diśo mandara śailasaṃsthā kaparddinaścaṃḍaparākamasya | cakre tato netranimīlanaṃ tu sā pārvatī narmayutaṃ salīlam

Translation

Ở phương Đông, trên núi Mandara, nàng Pārvatī với vẻ đùa vui dịu dàng đã khép đôi mắt của Đấng tóc bện (Śiva), bậc có uy lực dữ dội không gì cưỡng nổi.

Word by Word

• pūrve: in the eastern
• pūrve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; agrees with diśi understood (locative)

• diśi: direction
• diśi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• mandara-śaila-saṃsthāḥ: situated on Mandara mountain
• mandara-śaila-saṃsthāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mandara + śaila + saṃsthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (mandara-śaile saṃsthāḥ = situated on Mandara mountain)

• kaparddinaḥ: of Kapardin (Śiva)
• kaparddinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapardin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; epithet of Śiva

• caṇḍa-parākamasya: of fierce valor
• caṇḍa-parākamasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍa + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (caṇḍaḥ parākramaḥ) qualifying kapardin

• cakre: did, made
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ātmanepada

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kālādhi-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘then/from that’

• netra-nimīlanam: closing of the eyes
• netra-nimīlanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra + nimīlana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (netrayoḥ nimīlanam)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) contrast/emphasis

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun

• pārvatī: Pārvatī
• pārvatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name

• narma-yutam: with playful jest
• narma-yutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: narma + yuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (narmena yutam = accompanied by playfulness)

• sa-līlam: playfully
• sa-līlam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + līla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (līlayā saha = playfully)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The playful closing of Śiva’s eyes becomes a narrative device for ‘concealment’ (tirodhāna): when the Lord’s illuminating gaze is veiled, darkness manifests—an etiological prelude to the arising of a dreadful being.

Significance: Meditation on tirodhāna: the soul’s light is not autonomous; when divine illumination is ‘covered’, tamas and confusion arise—prompting the seeker toward grace (anugraha).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Mandara

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva and Pārvatī’s intimacy as divine līlā: even the all-knowing Pati (Lord) allows loving play, teaching that devotion (bhakti) is not opposed to transcendence but is a sacred means to approach it.

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

By depicting the matted-haired Lord in a relatable, personal form, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Śiva with attributes—through which devotees steady the mind before realizing the deeper, formless reality indicated by the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is inwardness: briefly close the eyes in japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), visualizing Śiva with jata and Pārvatī as Śakti—uniting devotion and concentration.