Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

यूयं प्रमाणं धर्मेषु यथा न च तथा वयम् । अस्ति चेद्धर्मलेशोस्य गणास्तं शृणुमो वयम्

Transliteration

yūyaṃ pramāṇaṃ dharmeṣu yathā na ca tathā vayam | asti ceddharmaleśosya gaṇāstaṃ śṛṇumo vayam

Translation

أنتم المرجع الموثوق في شؤون الدَّرما، ولسنا نحن كذلك. فلهذا، يا معشر الغَنا (Gaṇa)، إن كان في هذه المسألة ذَرّةٌ من الدَّرما، فنحن نودّ أن نسمعها منكم.

Word by Word

• yūyam: you (all)
• yūyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; 2nd-person pronoun

• pramāṇam: authority; standard
• pramāṇam: Vidheyapada (विधेय/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• dharmeṣu: in matters of dharma
• dharmeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/अधिकरण), Bahuvacana

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā/Prakāra-avyaya (प्रकार/‘as, just as’)

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

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चय/conjunction)

• tathā: so; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avyaya (प्रकार/‘so, thus’)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; 1st-person pronoun

• asti: there is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: Śarthe avyaya (शर्त/conditional particle ‘if’)

• dharma-leśaḥ: a trace/portion of dharma
• dharma-leśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + leśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘a small part of dharma’), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• asya: of this; in this (one)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/सम्बन्ध), Ekavacana

• gaṇāḥ: O gaṇas; attendants
• gaṇāḥ: Sambodhyam/Karta (सम्बोधन/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana

• tam: that (trace)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• śṛṇumaḥ: we hear; we listen
• śṛṇumaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Bahuvacana

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

Brahma (addressing Shiva’s Gaṇas during the Sṛṣṭi narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It teaches humility and discernment: even a great cosmic functionary acknowledges that true dharma must be confirmed by proper authority, aligning one’s judgment with Shiva’s ordained order rather than ego or status.

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

In Saguna worship, Shiva’s will is approached through proper channels—guru, scripture, and the Lord’s ordained attendants. The verse reflects the Shaiva principle that dharma is validated by what accords with Shiva (Pati) and his command, not merely by personal opinion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dharma-sankalpa before worship: begin japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility, seeking correction from śāstra and guru, and offering actions to Shiva as the final pramāṇa of right conduct.