Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 51

गिरिजातपः-परीक्षा तथा सप्तर्षि-आह्वानम्

Girijā’s Austerity-Test and the Summoning of the Seven Sages

Devanagari script

एकलः परनिर्वाणो ह्यसंगोऽद्वय एव च । तेन नार्याः कथं देवि निर्वाहः संभविष्यति

Transliteration

ekalaḥ paranirvāṇo hyasaṃgo'dvaya eva ca | tena nāryāḥ kathaṃ devi nirvāhaḥ saṃbhaviṣyati

Translation

祂独一无侣，安住于至上解脱之境——无执无著，且不二。故而，女神啊，女子的世间生计与婚姻家业，怎能与祂相应而成？

Word by Word

• एकलः: solitary; alone
• एकलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘सः/प्रभुः’)

• पर-निर्वाणः: having supreme liberation; of highest nirvāṇa
• पर-निर्वाणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — indeed/for

• असङ्गः: unattached
• असङ्गः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अद्वयः: non-dual
• अद्वयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• एव: certainly
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तेन: therefore; by that
• तेन: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण; by that/therefore)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नार्याः: of a woman
• नार्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• निर्वाहः: maintenance; marital support
• निर्वाहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सम्भविष्यति: will be possible; will occur
• सम्भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Shiva (addressing Parvati)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal self-description of Śiva (ekala, asaṅga, advaya) used to explain the incompatibility of ordinary gṛhastha ‘nirvāha’ with His transcendence; not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga site.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s transcendence: as the non-dual, unattached Lord established in supreme liberation, He is beyond ordinary social roles—teaching that ultimate reality (Pati) is not limited by worldly attachments, even while guiding devotees through them.

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

The verse points to Śiva’s nirguṇa nature (unattached, non-dual), while Linga worship provides a saguna, accessible support for devotion—allowing householders to relate to the transcendent Lord through a sacred form without reducing His absolute nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate vairāgya (detachment) alongside devotion: meditate on Śiva as asaṅga (unattached) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and support practice with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of renunciation and inner purity.