Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

इत्थं सतीचरित्रं ते वर्णितं परमाद्भुतम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं दिव्यं सर्वकामप्रदायकम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ satīcaritraṃ te varṇitaṃ paramādbhutam | bhuktimuktipradaṃ divyaṃ sarvakāmapradāyakam

Translation

So ist dir diese überaus wunderbare Erzählung von Satī geschildert worden: göttlicher Natur, schenkt sie sowohl weltliche Erfüllung (bhukti) als auch Befreiung (mukti) und gewährt die Erfüllung aller würdigen Wünsche.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable: thus/in this manner

• सतीचरित्रम्: Satī’s story
• सतीचरित्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती + चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘character/story of Satī’; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• वर्णितम्: described
• वर्णितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively ‘has been described’

• परमाद्भुतम्: most wonderful
• परमाद्भुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय): ‘supremely wonderful’; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies सतीचरित्रम्

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (object-determinative): ‘giver of enjoyment and liberation’; Neuter, Nominative, Singular; qualifies (story)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies (story)

• सर्वकामप्रदायकम्: bestowing all desires
• सर्वकामप्रदायकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + प्रदायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): ‘giver of all desires’; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies (story)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Phalaśruti-style assurance: śravaṇa of Satī-caritra yields both bhukti (dharma-aligned prosperity) and mukti (liberation), framing kathā as a portable tīrtha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Sati

FAQs

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

It functions as a phalaśruti: hearing or reciting Satī’s sacred narrative is declared to be divya and capable of granting both bhukti (rightly ordered worldly well-being) and mukti (release), emphasizing Shiva’s grace as the ultimate cause of liberation.

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

By praising the fruit of Satī-kathā, the text reinforces saguna-bhakti—devotion to Shiva with attributes and līlā—where sacred narration (kathā-śravaṇa) becomes a direct support for Shiva-worship, including Linga-upāsanā, leading toward inner purification and eventual realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is regular śravaṇa/paṭhana (listening/recitation) of this Satī section with Shiva-bhakti; it may be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a focused means to seek both dhārmic aims and liberation.