Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

शङ्खचूडकस्य राज्याभिषेकः तथा शक्रपुरीं प्रति प्रस्थानम् | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Coronation and March toward Indra’s City

Devanagari script

देवान् विनाखिला जीवास्सुखिनो निर्विकारकाः । स्वस्वधर्मा स्थितास्सर्वे चतुर्वर्णाश्रमाः परे

Transliteration

devān vinākhilā jīvāssukhino nirvikārakāḥ | svasvadharmā sthitāssarve caturvarṇāśramāḥ pare

Translation

Außer den Göttern waren alle Lebewesen glücklich und frei von Unruhe. Alle standen fest in ihrem jeweils verordneten Dharma—dem der vier Varṇas und der vier Āśramas—und verweilten in einer harmonischen, erhabenen Ordnung.

Word by Word

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma/Exclusion-object (कर्म/अपवाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• विना: without/excluding
• विना: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय/उपपद (indeclinable preposition: without; governs द्वितीया)

• अखिलाः: all/entire
• अखिलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् जीवाः इति

• जीवाः: living beings
• जीवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सुखिनः: happy
• सुखिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् जीवाः इति

• निर्विकारकाः: unchanging/without modification
• निर्विकारकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् जीवाः इति

• स्व-स्व-धर्माः: their respective duties
• स्व-स्व-धर्माः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (स्वस्य स्वः धर्मः = each one’s own duty)

• स्थिताः: were established/abiding
• स्थिताः: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (क्रिया-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जीवाः/चतुर्वर्णाश्रमाः)

• चतुर्-वर्ण-आश्रमाः: the four varṇas and āśramas (social orders/stages)
• चतुर्-वर्ण-आश्रमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु/तत्पुरुष (चत्वारः वर्णाश्रमाः)

• परे: excellent/supreme
• परे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् चतुर्-वर्ण-आश्रमाः इति; अर्थः—श्रेष्ठाः/उत्तमाः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it depicts social-cosmic stability (varṇāśrama-dharma) as a sign of ordered preservation (sthiti) within the world.

Significance: Didactic: harmony and contentment arise when beings abide in svadharma; however, in Siddhānta this remains within pāśa unless it culminates in Śiva-bhakti and anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that peace arises when beings remain steady in svadharma; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such dharmic steadiness purifies the pashu (bound soul) and prepares it for Shiva-bhakti and grace.

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

Orderly living in varnashrama supports disciplined worship—daily purity, vows, and devotion—through which Saguna Shiva (as the Linga and the Lord of dharma) is approached, leading the devotee toward inner stillness and higher realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to stabilize one’s daily dharma with regular Shiva-upasana: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing vibhuti (Tripundra) with reverence, and maintaining a sattvic routine aligned with one’s stage of life.