Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

पार्वतीवाक्यं—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्व-निरूपणम्

Pārvatī’s Discourse: Establishing Śiva as Parabrahman

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा चोमया यावत्पादमुत्क्षिप्यते मुने । असौ तावच्छिवस्साक्षादालंबे प्रियया स्वयम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityuktvā comayā yāvatpādamutkṣipyate mune | asau tāvacchivassākṣādālaṃbe priyayā svayam

Translation

梵天说道：“圣者啊，当优摩方才如此言说、正要抬起脚时，就在那一刹那，湿婆主亲自显现，甘愿作为她的挚爱，成为她的依止与支撑。”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: वक्ता/कर्ता (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having said’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: सह/साकं (Association; ‘with Umā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: सम्बन्ध (Temporal limiter)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (until/as long as)

• पादम्: foot
• पादम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्क्षिप्यते: is lifted/raised
• उत्क्षिप्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive) ‘is lifted’

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दूरवाचक सर्वनाम

• तावत्: just then
• तावत्: सम्बन्ध (Temporal correlate)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (then/just so long)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta; apposition to असौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: in person
• साक्षात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) ‘directly/in person’

• आलम्बे: clung/held on
• आलम्बे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘(he) clung/held on’

• प्रियया: by/with (his) beloved
• प्रियया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; ‘by/with the beloved’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agentive emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (indeclinable), आत्मकर्तृवाचक (by oneself)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati (Uma)

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s immediate, personal grace (anugraha): when devotion ripens, the Lord becomes the very “support” (ālambana) of the seeker, removing fear and instability on the path.

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

Though Śiva is ultimately beyond form, this episode emphasizes Saguna Śiva—God who becomes tangibly present for His devotee. Linga-worship trains the mind to take Śiva as the ever-present ālambana, culminating in such direct experiential assurance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as ālambana (inner support) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, if following Purāṇic practice, accompany it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and steady breath to cultivate reliance on Śiva’s grace.