Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 43

दिव्य-भवन-छत्र-निर्माणः तथा देवसमाह्वानम्

Divine Pavilion and Canopy; Summoning the Gods

Devanagari script

किमुत्तरमहं दास्ये गत्वा शंकरसन्निधौ । इति संचिंत्य बहुधा पश्चात्तापोऽभवत्तदा

Transliteration

kimuttaramahaṃ dāsye gatvā śaṃkarasannidhau | iti saṃciṃtya bahudhā paścāttāpo'bhavattadā

Translation

„Welche Antwort werde ich geben, wenn ich in Śaṅkaras Gegenwart trete?“ So dachte sie immer wieder, und da wurde sie von Reue überwältigt.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) — interrogative ‘what’

• उत्तरम्: reply/answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• दास्ये: shall give
• दास्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), परस्मैपद; 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा absolutive); ‘having gone’

• शंकरसन्निधौ: in Śaṅkara’s presence
• शंकरसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर-सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: शंकर + सन्निधि; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotation marker (वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक)

• संचिन्त्य: having thought
• संचिन्त्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप् absolutive); ‘having reflected’

• बहुधा: in many ways / repeatedly
• बहुधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/adverb (‘in many ways/much’)

• पश्चात्तापः: remorse
• पश्चात्तापः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चात्ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: पश्चात् + ताप; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अभवत्: arose/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक adverb (‘then/at that time’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating the Satīkhaṇḍa account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights inner self-examination (saṃcintā) and repentance (paścāttāpa) as a purifying turn of the heart before approaching Śiva; in Shaiva thought, humility and remorse soften the ego and make one receptive to Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

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

“Śaṅkara-sannidhi” implies coming near the compassionate, personal (saguṇa) Lord; devotion is not merely external ritual but an inner readiness—repentance and truthful speech—when standing before Śiva in the temple or before the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform brief self-reflection and confession of faults before pūjā: mentally bow to Śiva, recite the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and approach worship with sincerity and corrected intention.