Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

वसन्तस्वरूपवर्णनम् — Description of the Form/Nature of Vasant

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Devanagari script

गृहीतदारे कामे च दृष्टे तेषु गतेषु च । संध्यायां किं तपस्तप्तुं गतायामभवत्ततः

Transliteration

gṛhītadāre kāme ca dṛṣṭe teṣu gateṣu ca | saṃdhyāyāṃ kiṃ tapastaptuṃ gatāyāmabhavattataḥ

Translation

当看见迦摩（Kāma）携其配偶而去，及至他们离开之后，黄昏礼（Saṃdhyā）之时还剩何等余地可修苦行？那神圣时刻既已逝去，又能成就什么呢？

Word by Word

• गृहीत-दारे: when the wife had been taken (in marriage)
• गृहीत-दारे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ग्रह् धातु) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘गृहीताः दाराः यस्य/यत्र’ इति सन्दर्भे सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute-like)

• कामे: when Kāma (was involved/present)
• कामे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दृष्टे: when (it/they) was seen
• दृष्टे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सप्तमी (locative) in सति-सप्तमी construction

• तेषु: when they (those persons)
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• गतेषु: when (they) had gone
• गतेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• संध्यायाम्: in/when Sandhyā
• संध्यायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तप्तुम्: to perform (austerity); to practice
• तप्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), कर्तरि प्रयोग

• गतायाम्: when (she) had gone
• गतायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गता (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (with संध्यायाम् understood)

• अभवत्: was; happened
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb: sequence/cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्/ततः इति हेत्वर्थ/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (from that; then)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Kama

FAQs

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

The verse stresses that spiritual effort must be done at the proper sacred time (sandhyā); once the moment of disciplined worship is lost to distraction—especially desire—repentance afterward cannot fully recover the missed inner merit.

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

Sandhyā is traditionally a prime time for Saguna Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Panchākṣarī, offering water and bilva, and mental worship of the Liṅga; the verse implies that neglecting this appointed worship-time weakens steadiness in devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to sandhyā-sādhana: twilight japa (especially “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), dhyāna with restraint of senses, and regularity in daily worship—guarding the mind from kāma during the very hours meant for prayer.