Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

कलौ प्रत्यक्षफलदा भक्तिस्सर्वयुगेष्वपि । तत्प्रभावादहं नित्यं तद्वशो नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

kalau pratyakṣaphaladā bhaktissarvayugeṣvapi | tatprabhāvādahaṃ nityaṃ tadvaśo nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Im Kali-Zeitalter schenkt Bhakti (hingebungsvolle Verehrung) sichtbare und unmittelbare Früchte; ja, in jedem Zeitalter ist sie wirksam. Durch die Kraft dieser Bhakti stehe Ich ewig unter ihrem Einfluss—daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• कलौ: in Kali(-yuga)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time)

• प्रत्यक्ष-फल-दा: giving immediate results
• प्रत्यक्ष-फल-दा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of भक्ति)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• सर्व-युगेषु: in all ages
• सर्व-युगेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

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

• तत्-प्रभावात्: due to its power/effect
• तत्-प्रभावात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• तद्-वशः: under its control
• तद्-वशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective of अहम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (of implied अस्ति)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kali-yuga: bhakti as the most accessible and immediately fruitful means (upāya) across yugas.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares bhakti as the most accessible and directly fruitful sādhana—especially in Kali-yuga—because Shiva responds through grace to sincere devotion, loosening bondage (pāśa) and guiding the soul (paśu) toward liberation.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā: through tangible acts of devotion—such as Linga-pūjā, abhiṣeka, and mantra-japa—the devotee experiences pratyakṣa-phala, and Shiva willingly becomes ‘tadvaśa’ (responsive to that devotion).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Emphasize daily bhakti practices like Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-abhiṣeka with water, and wearing Rudrākṣa with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), performed with heartfelt surrender rather than mere formality.