Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

वसन्त-प्रभावः तथा काम-उद्दीपन-वर्णनम् | Spring’s Influence and the Arousal of Kāma

Devanagari script

आर्तवाणि सुपुष्पाणि धृतानि च तया यदा । तत्सौंदर्यं कथं वर्ण्यमपि वर्षशतैरपि

Transliteration

ārtavāṇi supuṣpāṇi dhṛtāni ca tayā yadā | tatsauṃdaryaṃ kathaṃ varṇyamapi varṣaśatairapi

Translation

当她手持那些应时而开的妙好花朵时，那般美丽又怎能描绘——纵使百年千载亦难尽述；其丽超越言辞所及。

Word by Word

• ārtavāṇi: seasonal (flowers)
• ārtavāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārtava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• supuṣpāṇi: very beautiful flowers
• supuṣpāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु + पुष्प)

• dhṛtāni: held / carried
• dhṛtāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) → dhṛta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अर्थः ‘धारितानि/गृहीतानि’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yadā: when
• yadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• sauṃdaryam: beauty
• sauṃdaryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sauṃdarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• varṇyam: to be described
• varṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṇ (धातु) → varṇya (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: भाव्य/योग्यतावाचक कृदन्त (gerundive, यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘वर्णनीयम्’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• varṣaśataiḥ: by hundreds of years
• varṣaśataiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वर्षाणां शतैः)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: even/also)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that divine beauty (as a manifestation of Śakti) is ultimately beyond complete verbal description, pointing the devotee from mere poetic admiration toward reverent contemplation (bhakti) and direct inner experience.

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

By emphasizing Parvatī’s manifest (saguṇa) splendor, the text supports saguṇa-upāsanā—worship through form, qualities, and symbols—preparing the mind for steadiness in devotion, which in Shaiva tradition culminates in deeper realization of Śiva-Śakti unity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is flower-offering (puṣpāñjali) with focused darśana-bhāva—mentally offering seasonal flowers to Śiva/Śakti while repeating a Śiva mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to refine attention and devotion.