Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

वसन्तस्वरूपवर्णनम् — Description of the Form/Nature of Vasant

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Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । शृणु नारद विप्रेन्द्र तदैव चरितं शुभम् । शिवलीलान्वितं भक्त्या धन्यस्त्वं शिवसेवकः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | śṛṇu nārada viprendra tadaiva caritaṃ śubham | śivalīlānvitaṃ bhaktyā dhanyastvaṃ śivasevakaḥ

Translation

梵天说道：“听着，哦那罗陀（Nārada），婆罗门中之最胜者；请听那极为吉祥的事迹——充满湿婆（Śiva）的神圣戏游（līlā），并以虔敬（bhakti）浸润。你真是有福之人，乃湿婆的侍奉者。”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Imperative to addressee)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O chief of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’)

• तदा: then
• तदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: निपातार्थ (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• चरितम्: deed; narrative; conduct
• चरितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् धातु से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of चरितम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शिव-लीला-अन्वितम्: endowed with Śiva’s play
• शिव-लीला-अन्वितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of चरितम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अन्वि/अनु+इ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य लीला’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + ‘तया अन्वितम्’

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• धन्यः: fortunate; blessed
• धन्यः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicate adjective of त्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शिव-सेवकः: servant of Śiva
• शिव-सेवकः: समानााधिकरण/विशेष्य (Apposition to त्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘शिवस्य सेवकः’)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: śiva-līlā-śravaṇa (hearing Śiva’s divine play) is treated as a purifying pilgrimage of the mind, granting bhakti and śiva-prasāda.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narada
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse exalts śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Śiva-kathā: hearing Śiva’s auspicious līlā with bhakti purifies the seeker and marks one as “dhanya”—fit for grace (anugraha) from Pati, Lord Śiva.

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

By emphasizing Śiva’s līlā and devotion, the verse aligns with Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through narrated deeds, names, and forms. Such Shiva-kathā supports Linga-upāsanā by strengthening loving remembrance and reverence toward Śiva as the accessible Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice is śravaṇa of Shiva Purana (Shiva-kathā) with bhakti; as a simple extension, one may listen/recite while mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to anchor attention in devotion.