Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

कामभस्म-प्रार्थना: रत्याः शङ्करं प्रति विनयः / Rati’s Supplication to Śaṅkara regarding Kāma’s Ashes

Devanagari script

सुखदुःखदो न चान्योऽस्ति यतस्स्वकृतभृक् पुमान् । काले रक्षा विवाहश्च निषेकः केन वार्यते

Transliteration

sukhaduḥkhado na cānyo'sti yatassvakṛtabhṛk pumān | kāle rakṣā vivāhaśca niṣekaḥ kena vāryate

Translation

Es gibt keinen anderen Spender von Freude oder Leid, denn der Mensch trägt die Frucht seiner eigenen Taten. Wenn die bestimmte Zeit herannaht, wer könnte Schutz, Eheschließung und die Zeugung von Nachkommen verhindern?

Word by Word

• sukha-duḥkha-daḥ: giver of happiness and sorrow
• sukha-duḥkha-daḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha-duḥkha-da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca) + ‘da’ (giver)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• anyaḥ: another (one)
• anyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (indeclinable relative adverb) = ‘because/from which’

• sva-kṛta-bhṛk: bearing/experiencing one’s own deeds
• sva-kṛta-bhṛk: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva-kṛta-bhṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svasya kṛtasya bhartā/bhoktā)

• pumān: a man/person
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kāle: at the proper time
• kāle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• rakṣā: protection
• rakṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• vivāhaḥ: marriage
• vivāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• niṣekaḥ: conception/impregnation rite
• niṣekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣeka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kena: by whom/with what
• kena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• vāryate: is prevented/warded off
• vāryate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic teaching within the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches karma-siddhānta: joy and sorrow arise from one’s own past actions, and life-events unfold when their time ripens—encouraging dharmic living and inner surrender to Shiva rather than blaming external agents.

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

Recognizing karma as the cause of experience, a devotee turns to Saguna Shiva (Linga) for purification and grace—worship becomes a means to loosen pāśa (bondage of karma) and align one’s life with Shiva’s order (ṛta).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa supports acceptance of karmic results and cultivates clarity to act dharmically when life’s destined duties (protection, marriage, family) arise.