Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 77

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

भेदे निवृत्ते सकले द्वंद्वदुःखविहीनता । द्वंद्वदुःखविहीनस्तु शिवरूपो भवत्यसौ

Transliteration

bhede nivṛtte sakale dvaṃdvaduḥkhavihīnatā | dvaṃdvaduḥkhavihīnastu śivarūpo bhavatyasau

Translation

Wenn jedes Empfinden von Verschiedenheit (bheda) gänzlich zurückgezogen ist, wird man frei vom Leid, das aus Gegensätzen entsteht. Wahrlich, wer vom Schmerz der Dualitäten befreit ist, wird von Śivas eigener Natur.

Word by Word

• भेदे: when/with difference (duality)
• भेदे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• निवृत्ते: having ceased
• निवृत्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु) → निवृत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भावे कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative absolute with भेदे

• सकले: entirely
• सकले: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; qualifies भेदे (in the whole/entirely)

• द्वन्द्व-दुःख-विहीनता: freedom from the suffering of dualities
• द्वन्द्व-दुःख-विहीनता: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied ‘bhavati’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व + दुःख + विहीनता (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): ‘state of being free from the pain of pairs of opposites’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• द्वन्द्व-दुःख-विहीनः: free from dualistic suffering
• द्वन्द्व-दुःख-विहीनः: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate adjective of असौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वन्द्व + दुःख + विहीन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘free from the suffering of dualities’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

• शिव-रूपः: Śiva-natured
• शिव-रूपः: Karta (कर्ता) (as predicate adjective of असौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + रूप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘having the form/nature of Śiva’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• असौ: he/that one
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun ‘that person/he’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; it states the soteriological fruit: cessation of bheda yields freedom from dvandva-duḥkha and ‘Śiva-rūpatā’ (becoming Śiva-like).

Significance: Defines the highest pilgrimage as transformation of the paśu into Śiva-svarūpa by removal of pāśa (duality and its sorrow).

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation arises when the mind’s perception of separateness (bheda) ceases; then the devotee is no longer shaken by pairs of opposites (pleasure–pain, gain–loss) and abides in Śiva-consciousness.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to move from outward distinctions to the one Reality symbolized by the Linga; through devotion to Saguna Śiva (with form), the seeker becomes steady and gradually realizes the non-dual Śiva-nature beyond dvandvas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with meditative equanimity—observing dualities without attachment—supports the withdrawal from bheda; Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa may be used as aids to steadiness and remembrance of Śiva.