Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

एवमभ्यर्थितो धात्रा भगवान्नीललोहितः । कालीत्याह रहस्यं वां निन्दयन्निव सस्मितः

Transliteration

evamabhyarthito dhātrā bhagavānnīlalohitaḥ | kālītyāha rahasyaṃ vāṃ nindayanniva sasmitaḥ

Translation

Được Đấng Tạo Hóa (Dhātṛ, Brahmā) khẩn cầu như vậy, Đức Thế Tôn Nīlalohita—mỉm cười như thể khẽ trách yêu—đã nói với hai vị danh xưng bí mật: “Kālī.”

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: thus)

• abhyarthitaḥ: having been entreated
• abhyarthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhyarthita (कृदन्त; √arth अर्थ् with abhi-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle): ‘having been requested’

• dhātrā: by the Creator (Dhātṛ)
• dhātrā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental: by Dhātṛ/Creator)

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nīla-lohitaḥ: Nīlalohita (blue-red one; Śiva)
• nīla-lohitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + lohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (नीलश्चासौ लोहितश्च)

• kālī: “Kālī”
• kālī: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे नाम (as a name, in direct address/utterance)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle)

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• rahasyam: secret
• rahasyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative/2nd)

• vām: to you two / for you two
• vām: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचनरूप (Genitive/Dative dual enclitic): ‘of you two / to you two’

• nindayan: reviling (as if)
• nindayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nindayat (कृदन्त; √nind निन्द्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle): ‘reviling’

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमा-निपात (particle of comparison)

• sa-smitaḥ: smiling
• sa-smitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्मितेन सहितः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā account to the sages, quoting the event involving Shiva and Brahma)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: काली

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Nīlalohita)
• Brahma (Dhātṛ)
• Kālī

FAQs

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

It highlights that Shiva’s sacred names can be “rahasya” (esoteric), revealed only through divine grace; the Lord’s smiling, seemingly reproachful tone suggests that the mystery of Shakti and Shiva is not grasped by mere authority but by humility and inner readiness.

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

Nīlalohita is Saguna Shiva—approachable through name, form, and mantra. The verse points to mantra-upāsanā (worship through sacred utterance) as a doorway to the same Supreme Reality worshipped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-japa with reverence—repeating Shiva’s names as taught by tradition—paired with inner restraint and devotion; this aligns with Shaiva practice of mantra-focused meditation leading the mind toward Pati (Shiva).