Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

त्रिपुरवर्णनम् (Tripura-varṇanam) — “Description of Tripura”

Devanagari script

संपीडनाय जगतो यदि स क्रियते तपः । सफलं तद्गतं वेद्यं तस्मात्सुविहितं तपः

Transliteration

saṃpīḍanāya jagato yadi sa kriyate tapaḥ | saphalaṃ tadgataṃ vedyaṃ tasmātsuvihitaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

إن أُقيمت الزهادة (التَّپَس) لقهر العالم، فليُعلَم أن «ثمرتها» إنما تكون في تلك النية الهدّامة وحدها؛ لذلك يجب أن يكون التَّپَس الحق موجَّهًا توجيهًا سديدًا، مُقامًا على نهج الدَّرْمَا وبحسب نظام شِيفا، لا على القسوة.

Word by Word

• saṃpīḍanāya: for the oppression/affliction
• saṃpīḍanāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃpīḍana (प्रातिपदिक; √pīḍ/पीड् धातु + lyuṭ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तसूचक अव्यय)

• saḥ: he/that (austerity)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kriyate: is done/performed
• kriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada passive (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saphalam: fruitful
• saphalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tapaḥ

• tadgatam: directed to that / resting on that
• tadgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad-gata (प्रातिपदिक: tad + gata)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tapaḥ

• vedyam: to be known/understood
• vedyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vid (विद् धातु) + ya (यत्) → vedya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (भाव्य/कर्तव्य), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with implied 'is'

• tasmāt: therefore, from that
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्-प्रयोग; हेत्वर्थे)

• su-vihitam: well-ordained, properly performed
• su-vihitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-vihita (प्रातिपदिक; su + vihita from √dhā/धा with vi + kta)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; agrees with tapaḥ

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that tapas is not automatically sacred; its spiritual value depends on intention and alignment with dharma. Austerity aimed at harming beings binds one deeper, while well-directed tapas—offered to Śiva and guided by righteousness—supports purification and liberation.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna Śiva devotion emphasize inner purity and non-harming. This verse reinforces that external power gained through penance is secondary; what matters is directing practice toward Śiva with dharmic intent, not toward domination or cruelty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake ‘su-vihita’ tapas: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), worship of the Śiva-liṅga with humility, and disciplined vows (vrata) like Mahāśivarātri observance—keeping the mind free from malice and harm.