Shiva Purana — Satarudra Samhita, Shloka 35

नारीसन्देहभञ्जक-शम्भ्ववतारकथा

The Account of Śambhu’s Incarnation that Dispels Doubts Concerning Women

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इति तद्दर्शनप्राप्तविज्ञानां विप्रकामिनीम् । ज्ञातुकामां विशेषेण प्रोचे भिक्षुतनुश्शिवः

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | iti taddarśanaprāptavijñānāṃ viprakāminīm | jñātukāmāṃ viśeṣeṇa proce bhikṣutanuśśivaḥ

Translation

难提自在天（Nandīśvara）说道：于是，对那位婆罗门女子——因得见圣容而智慧生起——当她渴望更为分明地知晓时，化作行乞者之形的湿婆（Śiva）便为她详尽开示。

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• तत्-दर्शन-प्राप्त-विज्ञानाम्: (her) whose understanding was gained from that vision
• तत्-दर्शन-प्राप्त-विज्ञानाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त; √आप्/√प्राप् धातु) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘तस्य दर्शनात् प्राप्तं विज्ञानं यस्याः सा’ इत्यर्थे विशेषणत्वेन

• विप्र-कामिनीम्: the Brahmin’s beloved/wife
• विप्र-कामिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विप्रस्य कामिनी)

• ज्ञातु-कामाम्: desirous to know
• ज्ञातु-कामाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञातु (तुमुनन्त; √ज्ञा धातु) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘ज्ञातुं कामा’ (desirous to know)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनस्य क्रियाविशेषणप्रयोगः (instrumental used adverbially)

• प्रोचे: spoke/told
• प्रोचे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; प्र-उपसर्ग

• भिक्षु-तनुः: (one with) a beggar’s form
• भिक्षु-तनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भिक्षोः तनुः = beggar-form)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भिक्षु-तनुः इत्यस्य विशेष्यः

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Narrative transition: Nandīśvara frames Śiva’s instruction to a Brahmin woman whose knowledge arose from darśana; emphasizes darśana → jñāna → upadeśa sequence rather than shrine-origin.

Significance: Highlights the salvific power of darśana and upadeśa: seeing Śiva (even disguised) ripens the soul for detailed teaching leading toward liberation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that Shiva-darśana (direct vision of the Lord) awakens true jñāna, and that Shiva compassionately teaches seekers in the very form best suited to their spiritual maturity.

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

It supports the Shaiva view that the Supreme (Pati) is accessible through saguna manifestations—here as a bhikṣu—guiding the devotee from experiential devotion toward clearer knowledge, which is also the purpose of Linga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to seek Shiva through darśana and śravaṇa (receiving teaching) with humility—approaching the Lord as Guru; this aligns with regular japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative listening to Shiva-kathā.