Shloka 17

Śiva–Hari–Rudra–Vidhīnāṃ Tattva-nirṇayaḥ

Identity of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and Brahmā; Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Reconciliation

Devanagari script

रुद्रभक्तास्तु ये केचित्तत्क्षणं शिवतां गताः । अन्यापेक्षा न वै तेषां श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी

Transliteration

rudrabhaktāstu ye kecittatkṣaṇaṃ śivatāṃ gatāḥ | anyāpekṣā na vai teṣāṃ śrutireṣā sanātanī

Translation

But those who are devoted to Rudra attain the state of Śiva at that very moment. For them there is no dependence on anything else—this is the eternal teaching of the Veda.

Word by Word

• रुद्र-भक्ताः: devotees of Rudra
• रुद्र-भक्ताः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य भक्ताः = devotees of Rudra)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धक (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrastive particle)

• ये: who
• ये: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Relative pronoun, nominative plural

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to ‘ये’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Indefinite pronoun (किम् + चित्), nominative plural

• तत्-क्षणम्: at that very moment
• तत्-क्षणम्: कालाधिकरण (Time—accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular used adverbially (time-accusative); समासः तत्पुरुषः (तस्मिन् क्षणे = at that moment)

• शिवताम्: Shiva-hood, state of being Shiva
• शिवताम्: कर्म (Goal-state/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवता (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• गताः: have attained
• गताः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Predicative participle (‘have gone/attained’)

• अन्य-अपेक्षा: dependence on another
• अन्य-अपेक्षा: कर्ता/विधेय-विशेष्य (Subject complement with negation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपेक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अन्यस्य अपेक्षा = dependence on another)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निषेध (negation)

• वै: indeed
• वै: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• श्रुतिः: scriptural statement, teaching
• श्रुतिः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• एषा: this
• एषा: विशेषण (Qualifier of श्रुतिः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun, nominative singular

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; विशेषणम् श्रुतेः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Rudra)

FAQs

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

It declares that single-pointed devotion to Rudra is a direct, grace-filled means to liberation—so immediate that it is described as attaining “Shivahood” at that very moment, without needing auxiliary supports.

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

Rudra-bhakti is commonly expressed through Saguna worship—especially Linga-upasana—where love, surrender, and remembrance mature into Shiva’s grace, culminating in union with Shiva (śivatā) rather than mere worldly merit.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt Rudra-bhakti through daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-puja with devotion, and steady remembrance of Shiva—treating devotion itself as the essential practice rather than adding unrelated dependencies.