Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

संध्याचरित्रवर्णनम् (Sandhyā-caritra-varṇanam) — “Narration of Sandhyā’s Austerity and Encounter with Śiva”

Devanagari script

एकान्तमनसस्तस्याः कुर्वंत्या सुमहत्तपः । शंभौ विन्यस्तचित्ताया गतमेकं चतुर्युगम्

Transliteration

ekāntamanasastasyāḥ kurvaṃtyā sumahattapaḥ | śaṃbhau vinyastacittāyā gatamekaṃ caturyugam

Translation

她以独处专一之心修行极大苦行；又以意识安住于商布（主湿婆），四劫合一的完整轮回已然流逝。

Word by Word

• एकान्तमनसः: of (her) whose mind was solitary/one-pointed
• एकान्तमनसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकान्त + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (karmadhāraya-like determinative: 'ekānte manaḥ yasya/ yasyāḥ'), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-सम्बन्धे (of her)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्त्याः: (of her) doing
• कुर्वन्त्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (Genitive absolute-like: 'while she was doing')

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (intensifying: 'very great'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative) एकवचन; तपः-विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• शम्भौ: in/at Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विन्यस्तचित्तायाः: of her whose mind was fixed (on Śiva)
• विन्यस्तचित्तायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-न्यस् (धातु) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'vinyastaṃ cittaṃ yasyāḥ'), क्त (past participle) + षष्ठी स्त्रीलिङ्ग एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गतम्: elapsed
• गतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (predicate: 'elapsed')

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; चतुर्युगम्-विशेषणम्

• चतुर्युगम्: a cycle of four ages (caturyuga)
• चतुर्युगम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound: four yugas), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: caturyuga-kāla (one full cycle of four yugas) elapsing during uninterrupted tapas

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It highlights ekāgratā (one-pointed absorption) in Śiva as the core of transformative tapas: when the mind is firmly established in Pati (Śiva), endurance, purity, and spiritual power mature beyond ordinary measures of time.

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

Fixing the mind on Śambhu indicates Saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Śiva with attributes and presence. In Śaiva practice this commonly takes the form of steady remembrance and worship of the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible focus for sustained meditation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse suggests prolonged japa and dhyāna with unwavering focus—classically expressed through pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), accompanied by disciplined vows and simple worship (e.g., liṅga-arcana with water), emphasizing steadiness over display.