Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

संत्यज्य देवदेवेशं लिंगमूर्तिं महेश्वरम् । तारपुत्रास्तथैवैते नष्टास्तेऽपि सबांधवाः

Transliteration

saṃtyajya devadeveśaṃ liṃgamūrtiṃ maheśvaram | tāraputrāstathaivaite naṣṭāste'pi sabāṃdhavāḥ

Translation

لمّا هجروا إلهَ الآلهة—مهاديڤا، المهيشڤرا العظيم الحاضر في هيئة اللِّنگا—هلك أبناءُ تارا كذلك، ومعهم جميعُ أقاربهم.

Word by Word

• संत्यज्य: having abandoned
• संत्यज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having completely abandoned’

• देवदेवेशम्: Lord of the gods
• देवदेवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘देवानां देवः, तस्य ईशः’

• लिङ्गमूर्तिम्: the liṅga-form (embodiment as liṅga)
• लिङ्गमूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘लिङ्गस्य मूर्तिः’

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘महान् ईश्वरः’

• तारपुत्राः: sons of Tārā
• तारपुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘तारायाः पुत्राः’

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• नष्टाः: ruined/destroyed
• नष्टाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate adjective

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; pronoun

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार-अव्यय (also/even)

• सबान्धवाः: together with (their) relatives
• सबान्धवाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ‘बान्धवैः सह’ (with relatives) used adjectivally

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Didactic warning: neglect of liṅga-arcana leads to downfall; conversely, steadfast liṅga-bhakti protects lineage and welfare.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Linga
• Tara

FAQs

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

The verse warns that turning away from Maheśvara—especially from His accessible, grace-giving Liṅga manifestation—leads to spiritual and worldly ruin; steadfast devotion (bhakti) aligns one with Śiva’s protective sovereignty (Pati) rather than bondage (pāśa).

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

By naming Śiva as “liṅgamūrti,” it emphasizes Saguna worship through the Liṅga as a sanctioned, concrete support for devotion; rejecting that support is portrayed as rejecting Śiva’s presence and order, resulting in downfall.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Liṅga-pūjā with Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is the implied remedy—supported by Shaiva marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steady remembrance and restraint.