Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

पार्वतीबाल्यलीलावर्णनम् — Description of Pārvatī’s Childhood/Birth Festivities

Devanagari script

प्रभामहत्या शिखयेव दीपो भुवनस्य च । त्रिमार्गयेव सन्मार्गस्तद्वद्गिरिजया गिरिः

Transliteration

prabhāmahatyā śikhayeva dīpo bhuvanasya ca | trimārgayeva sanmārgastadvadgirijayā giriḥ

Translation

如灯因其焰而光辉，照耀世间；如正道在三途之中显明；同样，群山之王（喜马拉雅）也因吉丽迦（帕尔瓦蒂）而成就荣耀。

Word by Word

• prabhāmahatyā: by great radiance
• prabhāmahatyā: Karaṇa (करण; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā-mahatī (प्रातिपदिक; prabhā + mahatī)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; Karmadhāraya (mahatī prabhā)

• śikhayā: by a flame
• śikhayā: Karaṇa (करण; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-vācaka avyaya

• dīpaḥ: a lamp
• dīpaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान; standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• bhuvanasya: of the world
• bhuvanasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध; of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• tri-mārgayā: by the threefold path
• tri-mārgayā: Karaṇa (करण; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-mārga (प्रातिपदिक; tri + mārga)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; Dvigu compound (three paths) used as instrumental; (context: tri-mārga = threefold path)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-vācaka avyaya

• sat-mārgaḥ: the good path
• sat-mārgaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat-mārga (प्रातिपदिक; sat + mārga)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Karmadhāraya (sādhuḥ mārgaḥ)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverbial indeclinable (तद्वत् = in that manner/likewise)

• girijayā: by Girijā (Pārvatī)
• girijayā: Karaṇa (करण; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girijā (प्रातिपदिक; giri + jā)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa (gireḥ jā = born of the mountain)

• giriḥ: the mountain
• giriḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred greatness is revealed through association with Shakti: just as a lamp’s flame makes light effective, Pārvatī’s presence makes Himālaya spiritually illustrious—pointing to the Shaiva Siddhanta vision of Pati (Shiva) and Shakti as inseparable in manifesting auspiciousness.

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

By praising Girijā as the source of the mountain’s glory, the verse supports Saguna worship where Shiva is approached together with His Shakti; in Linga worship too, the Linga is honored with the living power of Shakti through offerings, mantra, and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the “sanmārga” (true path) as devotion disciplined by right conduct: recite the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhakti, honoring Shiva together with Pārvatī, as the illuminating flame of practice.