Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 46

त्रिपुरदीक्षाविधानम् — Tripura Dīkṣā: Prescriptive Procedure

Chapter on the Ordinance of Initiation

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य नारदो मुनिसत्तमः । गतस्तत्र द्रुतं यत्र स ऋषिर्मायिनां वरः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya nārado munisattamaḥ | gatastatra drutaṃ yatra sa ṛṣirmāyināṃ varaḥ

Translation

萨那特库玛罗说道：听闻他的话语后，那罗陀——诸牟尼中最胜者——迅速前往那位仙人所在之处；彼仙乃诸操持幻力（māyā）者之最上。

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (सनत्) + kumāra (कुमार)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (proper name); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotative particle

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: karṇa/śru (श्रु धात्वर्थे) with ā- (आ उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ākarṇya = having heard

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (वचस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here द्वितीया (object of ‘having heard’)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

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

• muni-sattamaḥ: best of sages
• muni-sattamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (मुनि) + sattama (सत्तम)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘best among sages’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to nāradaḥ

• gataḥ: went
• gataḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (गत, gam धातु-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; finite sense ‘went’

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (तत्र अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• drutam: quickly
• drutam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: druta (द्रुत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन; adverbial accusative (quickly)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (यत्र अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय; relative adverb (where)

• saḥ: that/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ṛṣiḥ: sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (ऋषि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• māyinām: of the māyins (illusionists)
• māyinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyin (मायिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of the possessors of māyā/illusionists’

• varaḥ: the best
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (वर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate/apposition to ṛṣiḥ

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Narada
• Rishi (foremost among wielders of maya)

FAQs

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

It highlights the seeker’s urgency and receptivity: Nārada immediately acts after hearing guidance, suggesting that progress on the Shaiva path requires prompt, sincere pursuit of truth beyond māyā.

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

Though the verse is narrative, it supports Saguna devotion as a practical means to cross māyā—by following realized guidance and moving toward the locus of spiritual instruction that ultimately points to Shiva as Pati (the Lord) beyond bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is śravaṇa and immediate anusaraṇa (hearing and acting): listen to Shaiva teachings, then anchor the mind with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to move swiftly from confusion toward clarity.