Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

भिन्नांजननिभास्सर्वे फुल्लराजीवलोचनाः । नितांतयतयः पुण्यास्संसारविमुखाः परे

Transliteration

bhinnāṃjananibhāssarve phullarājīvalocanāḥ | nitāṃtayatayaḥ puṇyāssaṃsāravimukhāḥ pare

Translation

Alle waren dunkel wie zu Pulver geriebene Anjana-Schminke, mit Augen wie voll erblühte Lotosblüten. Sie waren vollkommen disziplinierte Asketen, rein und verdienstvoll, gänzlich vom Samsara abgewandt und auf Befreiung ausgerichtet auf Śivas Pfad.

Word by Word

• भिन्न-अञ्जन-निभाः: having the hue of split collyrium (dark-eyed)
• भिन्न-अञ्जन-निभाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त, √भिद्) + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अञ्जनस्य निभाः; भिन्नं अञ्जनं यस्य)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• फुल्ल-राजीव-लोचनाः: whose eyes are like blooming lotuses
• फुल्ल-राजीव-लोचनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + राजीव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (फुल्लराजीवे लोचने यस्य)

• नितान्त-यतयः: thoroughly restrained ascetics
• नितान्त-यतयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नितान्त (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (नितान्ताः यतयः)

• पुण्याः: virtuous
• पुण्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• संसार-विमुखाः: turned away from worldly existence
• संसार-विमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (संसारात् विमुखाः / संसारे विमुखाः)

• परे: supreme; excellent ones
• परे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya in the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva’s ideal devotee as a yati: inwardly pure, disciplined, and detached from saṃsāra—signifying that proximity to Shiva is marked by vairāgya (dispassion) and a liberation-oriented life.

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

Though descriptive, it supports Saguna Shiva devotion by showing the fruits of Shiva-upāsanā: the devotee becomes purified and world-detached. Linga-worship, accompanied by japa and right conduct, is portrayed as a pathway to such transformation and ultimately to Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sustained discipline: daily Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), meditation on Shiva, and a life of restraint and detachment—supported by Shaiva observances like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where practiced.