Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body

Devanagari script

यत्स्वांगजां सुतां शंभुद्विट् न्यषे धत्समुद्यताम् । महानरकभोगी स मृतये नोऽपराधतः

Transliteration

yatsvāṃgajāṃ sutāṃ śaṃbhudviṭ nyaṣe dhatsamudyatām | mahānarakabhogī sa mṛtaye no'parādhataḥ

Translation

Because you cast away your own daughter—born of your very body—who was devotedly intent upon Śiva, the hater of Śambhu shall suffer the torments of a great hell; his death is due solely to his offence against the Lord.

Word by Word

• yat: because/that which
• yat: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun used adverbially = 'because/that which'

• svāṃgajām: (one) born of your own body
• svāṃgajām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāṅga-ja (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + अङ्ग + ज)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: svāṅgāt jā = 'born of one’s own body'

• sutām: daughter
• sutām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaṃbhu-dviṭ: O hater of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhu-dviṭ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu + dviṣ (प्रातिपदिक; द्विष्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śaṃbhum dveṣṭi = 'hater of Śambhu'

• ni: down/away (prefix)
• ni: Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: Upasarga (उपसर्ग) used with verb √as

• āse: you cast down / you threw
• āse: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ās (आस् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with ni- = 'you threw/you cast down' (contextual)

• dhak: you burned
• dhak: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dah (दह् धातु)
• Form: Aorist/Perfect-like injunctive form (लुङ्/लिट्-प्राय), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); 'you burned'

• samudyatām: rising up / ready to act
• samudyatām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√yam (समुद्-यम् धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with sutām

• mahā-naraka-bhogī: a sufferer of great hell
• mahā-naraka-bhogī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + naraka + bhogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: mahān narakaḥ + tasya bhogī = 'enjoyer/sufferer of great hell'

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mṛtaye: for death
• mṛtaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); purpose/result

• naḥ: of us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); enclitic

• aparādhataḥ: because of (an) offense
• aparādhataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aparādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय) = 'from/owing to offense'

Speaker

Satī (addressing Dakṣa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It teaches that hostility toward Śiva and contempt for sincere devotion (bhakti) is a grave aparādha; such ego-born opposition binds the soul to severe karmic suffering rather than liberation.

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

Satī defends devotion to Śiva as the accessible Saguna Lord for worship; rejecting Śiva and His devotees is portrayed as spiritually destructive, whereas honoring Śiva (including Liṅga-worship) is dharmic and purifying.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to avoid Śiva-aparādha and cultivate reverent bhakti—daily remembrance of Śiva (e.g., japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility and respect for devotees.