Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

इत्थं त्रिलोकसुखदौ सर्वज्ञौ च सतीशिवौ । लोकोपकारकरणधृतसद्गुणविग्रहौ

Transliteration

itthaṃ trilokasukhadau sarvajñau ca satīśivau | lokopakārakaraṇadhṛtasadguṇavigrahau

Translation

So nahmen Satī und Śiva—beide allwissend und Spender des Glücks für die drei Welten—Gestalten an, erfüllt von edlen Tugenden, einzig um das Wohl aller Wesen zu bewirken.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• त्रिलोक-सुखदौ: (the two) givers of happiness to the three worlds
• त्रिलोक-सुखदौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri-loka-sukha-da (प्रातिपदिक); tri (संख्या) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); adjective qualifying satīśivau

• सर्वज्ञौ: omniscient (both)
• सर्वज्ञौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-jña (प्रातिपदिक); sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); adjective qualifying satīśivau

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• सती-शिवौ: Satī and Śiva
• सती-शिवौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); dvandva denoting the pair Satī and Śiva

• लोक-उपकार-करण-धृत-सत्-गुण-विग्रहौ: (the two) whose embodied form bears noble qualities for the welfare of the world
• लोक-उपकार-करण-धृत-सत्-गुण-विग्रहौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + upakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛta (कृदन्त; धृ धातु) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); bahuvrīhi adjective qualifying satīśivau: 'whose form/body is endowed with good qualities maintained for the purpose of helping the world'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga; it states the theological purpose of Śiva-Śakti embodiment: lokopakāra (welfare of the worlds).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva and Satī as compassionate, omniscient benefactors who take on virtuous, accessible forms to uplift the worlds—showing that divine manifestation is driven by grace (anugraha) and loka-upakāra.

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

By stressing that Śiva bears a ‘sadguṇa-vigraha’ (a form endowed with auspicious qualities), the verse supports Saguna worship—devotees can approach the Lord through tangible, grace-filled embodiments such as the Śiva-liṅga and sacred icons while recognizing His omniscience.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is devotional Saguna-upāsanā: daily Śiva-liṅga pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) offered with the intention of universal welfare (loka-upakāra).