Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva

Devanagari script

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति तत्र पश्यसि दुर्मते । समर्थं केवलं कर्म न भविष्यति सर्वदा

Transliteration

kiṃ karma kimakarmeti tatra paśyasi durmate | samarthaṃ kevalaṃ karma na bhaviṣyati sarvadā

Translation

«ما الفعل وما اللا‑فعل؟» هكذا تنظر إليه على غير صواب، يا مضلَّل. إنّ الفعلَ وحده، بذاته، لا يكون دائمًا قادرًا على بلوغ الخير الأسمى.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम)

• कर्म: action; deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• अकर्म: inaction; non-action
• अकर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; negated noun (नञ्-समासभाव)

• इति: thus; as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• तत्र: there; in that matter
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• पश्यसि: you see; you discern
• पश्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• दुर्मते: O evil-minded one
• दुर्मते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; vocative address

• समर्थम्: capable; effective
• समर्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• केवलम्: mere; only
• केवलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• भविष्यति: will be; will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (instructing within the Sati Khanda narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that liberation is not guaranteed by action alone; without right understanding and Shiva-oriented devotion, karma can remain binding. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, karmas must be purified and offered to Pati (Shiva) so they no longer reinforce bondage (pāśa).

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

Linga-worship embodies acting with surrender: ritual becomes effective when performed as Shiva-ārādhana, not as mere mechanical duty. Saguna Shiva worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) channels action into grace-oriented practice, aligning karma with bhakti and jñāna.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva-pūjā with inner intent: japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while offering actions to Shiva, and maintain purity through Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders that action should be devotion-led, not ego-led.