Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

दीक्षितपुत्रस्य दैन्यचिन्ता तथा शिवरात्र्युपासनाप्रसङ्गः / The Initiate’s Son in Distress and the Occasion of Śivarātri Worship

Devanagari script

विषमालोक्य वा पेयं श्रेयो वा स्पर्शनं परम् । सेवितव्यं शिवस्वं न प्राणः कण्ठगतैरपि

Transliteration

viṣamālokya vā peyaṃ śreyo vā sparśanaṃ param | sevitavyaṃ śivasvaṃ na prāṇaḥ kaṇṭhagatairapi

Translation

ولو أُكره المرء على النظر إلى السُّمّ أو حتى شربه، ولو نيلَ الخيرُ الأسمى بمجرّد لمسة—فلا يجوز أبدًا اغتصاب ما هو لِشِيفا ولا التمتّع به؛ حتى إذا بلغت الروح الحلقوم في أشدّ الكرب.

Word by Word

• viṣam: poison
• viṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ālokya: having seen
• ālokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√lok (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having seen/looked at’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (विकल्प/alternative particle)

• peyam: should be drunk
• peyam: Vidheyapada (विधेय/obligatory predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (पा धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ‘to be drunk/should be drunk’

• śreyaḥ: the better (course)
• śreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; comparative noun ‘the better/good’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (विकल्प particle)

• sparśanam: touching
• sparśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sparśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of ‘sparśanam’

• sevitavyam: should be served
• sevitavyam: Vidheyapada (विधेय/predicate of obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sev (सेव् धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ‘to be served/should be resorted to’

• śiva-svam: that which belongs to Śiva (Śiva’s own)
• śiva-svam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of Śiva’), Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (निषेध/negation particle)

• prāṇaḥ: life-breath; life
• prāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• kaṇṭha-gataiḥ: with (things) that have reached the throat
• kaṇṭha-gataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (गम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘gone to the throat’), Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/करण), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya/Avadhāraṇa-avyaya (समुच्चय/‘even’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva Purāṇa teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches unwavering dharma toward Śiva: never exploit what is consecrated to Him, even under fear, temptation, or life-threatening pressure—true devotion is steadfast integrity.

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

In Liṅga/Saguṇa worship, items offered to Śiva (naivedya, flowers, wealth, temple resources) become Śiva’s sacred possession; misappropriating them is treated as a serious breach of bhakti and temple-dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice disciplined offering and restraint: dedicate acts and possessions to Śiva, avoid taking back what is offered, and reinforce devotion through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a vow of non-appropriation.