Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु व्यास महाबुद्धे पाराशर्यं महेशितुः । चरितं सर्वपापघ्नं लोकलीलानुसाररिणः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | śṛṇu vyāsa mahābuddhe pārāśaryaṃ maheśituḥ | caritaṃ sarvapāpaghnaṃ lokalīlānusārariṇaḥ

Translation

Sanatkumāra sprach: O Vyāsa von großer Einsicht, höre die Erzählung von Maheśa, dem Herrn; eine Erzählung, die alle Sünden tilgt und Seinem göttlichen Līlā-Spiel in den Welten entspricht.

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सनत् + कुमार)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाबुद्धे: O great-intellect
• महाबुद्धे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महती बुद्धिः यस्य सः)

• पाराशर्यम्: (about) Pārāśarya (Vyāsa)
• पाराशर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराशर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महेशितुः: of the Great Lord
• महेशितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deed(s), account
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वपापघ्नम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापघ्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां पापानां घ्नः)

• लोकलीलानुसारिणः: of (him) who follows worldly play
• लोकलीलानुसारिणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + लीला + अनुसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोकलीलाम् अनुसरति इति)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Śravaṇa (hearing) of Maheśa-carita is presented as sarva-pāpa-hara; in Śaiva Siddhānta this aligns with śravaṇa/manana as preparatory means that dispose the paśu toward Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sanatkumara
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

It establishes śravaṇa (devout hearing) of Śiva’s carita as a purifying practice: contemplating the Lord’s līlā removes pāpa and turns the mind toward Pati (Śiva), supporting the Shaiva path toward grace and liberation.

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

By praising the Lord’s manifest deeds in the worlds, it affirms Saguna Śiva—Śiva approachable through name, form, and narrative—preparing the devotee for heartfelt worship such as Liṅga-pūjā grounded in devotion and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is regular śravaṇa and manana—hearing and reflecting on Śiva-kathā—as a daily sādhana, ideally paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for inner purification.