Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

अनरण्य-वंशवर्णनम् तथा पिप्पलादस्य कामोत्पत्तिः

Genealogy of King Anaraṇya and Pippalāda’s arousal of desire

Devanagari script

महिष्यो रुरुदुस्सर्वा इतिकर्त्तव्यताक्षमाः । मूर्च्छामाप महाराज्ञी कन्यामाता शुचाकुला

Transliteration

mahiṣyo rurudussarvā itikarttavyatākṣamāḥ | mūrcchāmāpa mahārājñī kanyāmātā śucākulā

Translation

众母水牛尽皆哀号，束手无策，不知所为。悲恸压顶，王后——少女之母——心神震荡，竟昏厥过去。

Word by Word

• महिष्यः: buffalo-cows / female buffaloes
• महिष्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• रुरुदुः: wept
• रुरुदुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; महिष्यः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/प्रकारसूचक निपात (quotative particle)

• कर्तव्यता: what ought to be done
• कर्तव्यता: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तव्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); ‘duty/what should be done’

• अक्षमाः: unable
• अक्षमाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्ये बहुवचन), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘unable’; बहुवचनं सर्वाः (स्त्री) इत्यनुरूपं पाठभेदे ‘अक्षमाः/अक्षमाः’

• मूर्च्छाम्: fainting
• मूर्च्छाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्च्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आप: attained / fell into
• आप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महाराज्ञी: the great queen
• महाराज्ञी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—महा + राज्ञी (विशेषण-विशेष्य)

• कन्यामाता: the maiden’s mother
• कन्यामाता: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यामाता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कन्यायाः माता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुचाकुला: overwhelmed with sorrow
• शुचाकुला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—शुचा + आकुल (तृतीया/सप्तमी-प्रायः; ‘agitated with grief’); महाराज्ञी इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse portrays how worldly bonds and sudden sorrow can overwhelm the mind, highlighting the Shiva Purana’s theme that only turning to Pati (Lord Shiva) steadies the soul and leads toward inner detachment and liberation.

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

In the Parvati-khanda narrative, intense grief and helplessness underscore the need for a tangible refuge—Saguna Shiva worship such as Linga-puja—through which devotion becomes grounded and the heart regains composure.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a practical takeaway, one may steady the mind by japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and simple Linga worship with calm breath, converting grief into devotion.