Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera

Devanagari script

यद्यन्मध्यगृहे पश्येत्तत्तन्नीत्वा सुदुर्मतिः । अर्पयेद्द्यूतकाराणां सकुप्यं वसनादिकम्

Transliteration

yadyanmadhyagṛhe paśyettattannītvā sudurmatiḥ | arpayeddyūtakārāṇāṃ sakupyaṃ vasanādikam

Translation

Was immer er im Haus erblickte, das schleppte jener übelgesinnte Mann fort und übergab es den Spielern—Hausrat, Kleidung und dergleichen—und brachte so das Heim ins Verderben.

Word by Word

• यदि: if/whenever
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक-अव्यय (conditional particle: ‘if/whenever’)

• यत्: whatever (thing)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम ‘whatever’

• मध्ये-गृहे: in the middle of the house
• मध्ये-गृहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘गृहस्य मध्ये’

• पश्येत्: might see/sees
• पश्येत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्-तत्: that (each such item)
• तत्-तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication) ‘that and that’

• नीत्वा: having taken away
• नीत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having taken/led away’

• सु-दुर्मतिः: the very evil-minded one
• सु-दुर्मतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययपूर्वपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘very wicked-minded’

• अर्पयेत्: would hand over
• अर्पयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्पय्/अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘would offer/hand over’

• द्यूत-काराणाम्: to gamblers (of gambling-men)
• द्यूत-काराणाम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यूत (प्रातिपदिक) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘द्यूतस्य काराः’ = gamblers

• स-कुप्यम्: with valuables
• स-कुप्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत् ‘with’) + कुप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘with valuables/moveables’

• वसन-आदिकम्: clothing and so on
• वसन-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; आदि-तत्पुरुषः ‘clothes and the like’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Household-dharma collapse illustrates karmic entanglement (pāśa). The implied corrective is turning to Śiva through vrata/japa and restitution.

FAQs

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

It warns that vice—here, gambling—destroys dharma by turning the mind outward into greed and compulsion, leading one to violate truth and non-stealing; Shaiva teaching emphasizes purification of conduct as a foundation for devotion to Shiva.

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

Linga-worship requires inner and outer purity (ācāra). A life driven by gambling and theft undermines the steadiness, sattva, and integrity needed for sincere Saguna Shiva worship and for receiving Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is restraint (niyama): avoid gambling and cultivate disciplined daily worship—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple, honest living—so the mind becomes fit for bhakti.