Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

निमन्त्रण-पत्रिका-प्रेषणम् (Dispatch of the Invitation Letter) / Himālaya Sends the Wedding Invitation to Śiva

Devanagari script

तदा सर्वे समायाताश्शोणभद्रादयः खलु । बहुशोभा महाप्रीत्या विवाहश्शिवयोरिति

Transliteration

tadā sarve samāyātāśśoṇabhadrādayaḥ khalu | bahuśobhā mahāprītyā vivāhaśśivayoriti

Translation

于是，确实一切众人——首那跋陀罗等——都来到那里。以大欢喜与庄严盛庆，他们前来参加湿婆与帕尔瓦蒂的婚礼。

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense: time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सर्वे: all (persons)
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• समायाताः: having come/arrived
• समायाताः: कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (Kartā-related predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/विधेय (predicate)

• शोणभद्र-आदयः: Śoṇabhadra and others
• शोणभद्र-आदयः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; apposition to सर्वे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणभद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-समास: “X and others”), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• बहु-शोभाः: very splendid/beautiful
• बहु-शोभाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (“much-splendid”), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of सर्वे/आदयः)

• महाप्रीत्या: with great joy
• महाप्रीत्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• विवाहः: the wedding
• विवाहः: सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण (Quoted content/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिवयोः: of Śiva (and Pārvatī) / of the two (Śiva and [his bride])
• शिवयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन (dual)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The named arrival of Śoṇabhadra and others suggests a catalog-like sacred geography; Oṃkāreśvara on the Narmadā is a classic confluence of kṣetra and river-tīrtha where many beings assemble for darśana and merit.

Significance: Pilgrimage and parikramā around the island-kṣetra symbolize stabilizing devotion (sthiti) and communal celebration of Śiva’s auspicious presence.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Śoṇabhadra

FAQs

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

It highlights the auspicious, grace-filled nature of Śiva’s saguna līlā: the cosmos rejoices and gathers when Pati (Śiva) unites with Śakti (Pārvatī), signaling harmony, dharma, and divine blessing for devotees.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—celebrated in divine events like the vivāha—while Shaiva Siddhanta understands such līlās as outward manifestations of the same Supreme (Pati) who is also worshipped as the timeless Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is to worship Śiva with bhakti during auspicious occasions—reciting the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and performing simple pūjā as a participation in Śiva’s auspiciousness (maṅgala).