Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

मया कृता पुरा या वै शिवनिन्दा दुरत्यया । तां क्षमस्व शिवास्वामिन्सुप्रसन्नो भवाधुना

Transliteration

mayā kṛtā purā yā vai śivanindā duratyayā | tāṃ kṣamasva śivāsvāminsuprasanno bhavādhunā

Translation

我往昔对主宰湿婆所作的一切沉重而难以消除的诽谤——噢，湿婆，我的主——愿你宽恕。愿你如今大为欢喜，垂赐慈恩于我。

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Pronoun, instrumental singular

• कृता: done/committed
• कृता: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — agreeing with ‘निन्दा’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• या: which
• या: सम्बन्ध (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Relative pronoun, nominative singular feminine

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• शिव-निन्दा: censure of Śiva
• शिव-निन्दा: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिवस्य निन्दा) — Nominative singular

• दुरत्यया: hard to overcome/very grave
• दुरत्यया: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular feminine, qualifying ‘निन्दा’

• ताम्: that (offense)
• ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular feminine

• क्षमस्व: forgive
• क्षमस्व: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘forgive!’

• शिव: O Śiva
• शिव: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• स्वामिन्: O Lord/Master
• स्वामिन्: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• सु-प्रसन्नः: very pleased
• सु-प्रसन्नः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/उपपद-समासः (सु + प्रसन्न) — Nominative singular masculine

• भव: be
• भव: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘become/be’

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

Speaker

Parvati (as the devotee seeking Shiva’s forgiveness within the Parvati Khanda narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Model of śaraṇāgati: confession and seeking Śiva’s forgiveness is said to remove pāśa (bondage) and restore auspiciousness.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kṣamasva śiva svāmin suprasanno bhavādhunā

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender) and kṣamā-yācñā (seeking forgiveness): even grave offenses like śiva-nindā are overcome by sincere repentance and the compassionate grace (anugraha) of Pati, Lord Śiva.

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

The verse models approaching Saguna Śiva as the personal Lord (Svāmin) who responds to devotion. In Liṅga-worship, devotees similarly confess faults, offer pūjā, and seek Śiva’s prasāda—purifying the heart for higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily kṣamā-prārthanā before the Śiva-liṅga, chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offering bhasma (tripuṇḍra) with a repentant, steady mind—resolving to avoid nindā and cultivate bhakti.