Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

शंभु निरीक्ष्य तां देवीं ब्रह्मचारिस्वरूपवान् । उपकंठं ययौ प्रीत्या तदाऽसौ भक्तवत्सलः

Transliteration

śaṃbhu nirīkṣya tāṃ devīṃ brahmacārisvarūpavān | upakaṃṭhaṃ yayau prītyā tadā'sau bhaktavatsalaḥ

Translation

湿婆（Śambhu）见到那位女神时，已现为梵行者（brahmacārin）之相，便欢喜地走近她；因为他恒常怜爱护念诸奉献者。

Word by Word

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: कर्ता (Kartā/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• निरीक्ष्य: having looked at
• निरीक्ष्य: पूर्वकाल (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु) + ल्यप् → निरीक्ष्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-रूपेण कृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• ताम्: that (her)
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• देवीं: the goddess
• देवीं: कर्म (Karma/object; apposition to ‘ताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचारि-स्वरूपवान्: having the form of a celibate ascetic
• ब्रह्मचारि-स्वरूपवान्: कर्ता (Kartā/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचारि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वरूपम् यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शम्भुः’ विशेषण

• उपकण्ठम्: near (her), to the vicinity
• उपकण्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थकर्म (goal as object of motion)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: क्रिया (Kriyā/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रीत्या: with love, gladly
• प्रीत्या: करण (Karaṇa/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (भावे/हेतौ: with affection)

• तदा: then
• तदा: काल (Kāla/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण/adverb of time)

• असौ: he
• असौ: कर्ता (Kartā/subject; apposition to ‘शम्भुः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भक्तवत्सलः: affectionate to devotees
• भक्तवत्सलः: कर्ता (Kartā/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भक्तेषु वत्सलः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘असौ/शम्भुः’ विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as bhaktavatsala—drawn to sincere devotion. By taking an ascetic guise and approaching Pārvatī, Śiva teaches that divine grace responds to inner purity and steadfast tapas, guiding the devotee toward union with Pati (the Lord) in a personal, compassionate way.

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

Śiva appears here in a personal, accessible form (saguṇa līlā), showing that the transcendent Lord also meets devotees through worshipful forms—like the Śiva-liṅga—where devotion, humility, and surrender invite nearness to Śiva’s presence and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to cultivate brahmacarya-like self-restraint and devotional focus: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a bhakti attitude, optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids to steadiness and purity.