Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 69

त्रिपुरवर्णनम् (Tripura-varṇanam) — “Description of Tripura”

Devanagari script

अदृष्टं मनसा वाचा पापान्वितनरैस्सदा । महात्मभिश्शुभाचारैः पुण्यवद्भिः प्रवीक्ष्यते

Transliteration

adṛṣṭaṃ manasā vācā pāpānvitanaraissadā | mahātmabhiśśubhācāraiḥ puṇyavadbhiḥ pravīkṣyate

Translation

Jene Wirklichkeit, die sündhaften Menschen stets unsichtbar bleibt—weder dem Geist noch dem Wort—wird wahrhaft erkannt von großherzigen Seelen, deren Wandel heilsam ist und die voller Verdienst sind.

Word by Word

• अदृष्टम्: the unseen (thing)
• अदृष्टम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त) + अ- (नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; नञ्-समासपूर्वक क्त-कृदन्त (unseen)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; करणम्

• वाचा: by speech
• वाचा: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचनम्; करणम्

• पाप-अन्वित-नरैः: by men associated with sin
• पाप-अन्वित-नरैः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)+अन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त from अन्वि/इ)+नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (पापेन अन्विताः नराः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• महात्मभिः: by great-souled ones
• महात्मभिः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• शुभ-आचारैः: by those of good conduct
• शुभ-आचारैः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)+आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (शुभः आचारः)

• पुण्यवद्भिः: by the meritorious
• पुण्यवद्भिः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing merit)

• प्रवीक्ष्यते: is perceived/seen
• प्रवीक्ष्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense: is seen)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General Siddhānta theme: the Lord is not grasped by impure mind/speech; He is revealed to the purified (puṇya, śubha-ācāra) through grace and right conduct.

Significance: Frames tīrtha as primarily inner purification: merit and auspicious conduct make the ‘unseen’ Lord directly knowable.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-tattva is not grasped by impure mind and speech; inner purity, merit, and righteous conduct prepare the seeker to directly perceive the Divine (Pati) and move toward liberation.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna devotion train the mind and speech toward purity and reverence; through such śubha-ācāra and puṇya, the devotee gains the capacity to truly ‘see’ Shiva beyond mere outward ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt śubha-ācāra: daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), simple self-restraint and truthfulness in speech, and disciplined worship (optionally with bhasma and Rudraksha) to purify mind and make inner perception steady.