Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

नारदतपोवर्णनम्

Nārada’s Austerities Described

Devanagari script

मेने हितन्न विध्युक्तं नारदो ज्ञानिसत्तमः । शिवमायामोहितश्च रूढचित्तमदांकुरः

Transliteration

mene hitanna vidhyuktaṃ nārado jñānisattamaḥ | śivamāyāmohitaśca rūḍhacittamadāṃkuraḥ

Translation

那罗陀，诸智者之最胜，却把并非正智与圣典所许可之事当作有益；因被湿婆之摩耶所迷，傲慢之芽已在其心中牢牢扎根。

Word by Word

• मेने: thought/considered
• मेने: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हितम्: benefit; what is good
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (हित = welfare/benefit)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• विधि-उक्तम्: prescribed/said by Brahmā (as rule)
• विधि-उक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विधेः उक्तम् = ‘said by Brahmā/ordinance’)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञानी-सत्तमः: the best of the wise
• ज्ञानी-सत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानी (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (ज्ञानी च सत्तमः = ‘best among the wise’)

• शिव-माया-मोहितः: deluded by Śiva’s māyā
• शिव-माया-मोहितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (शिवस्य मायया मोहितः = ‘deluded by Śiva’s māyā’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रूढ-चित्त-मद-अङ्कुरः: one whose mind had a grown sprout of pride
• रूढ-चित्त-मद-अङ्कुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूढ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य चित्ते मदस्य अङ्कुरः रूढः सः (‘one in whom the sprout of pride has grown in the mind’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that even a great jñānī like Nārada can misjudge dharma when the mind is veiled by Śiva’s Māyā; the root cause is the subtle rise of mada (pride), which distorts discernment and blocks liberation-oriented wisdom.

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

By highlighting Śiva’s Māyā, the verse points to the need for refuge in Saguna Śiva—worship of the Liṅga with devotion and right vidhi purifies pride and stabilizes the mind, allowing true knowledge to mature into grace (anugraha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate humility through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined Śiva-pūjā according to vidhi; this directly counters mada and reduces the mind’s susceptibility to Māyā.