Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

वदत्येवं जने सत्या दृष्ट्वाऽसुत्यागमद्भुतम् । द्रुतं तत्पार्षदाः क्रोधादुदतिष्ठन्नुदायुधाः

Transliteration

vadatyevaṃ jane satyā dṛṣṭvā'sutyāgamadbhutam | drutaṃ tatpārṣadāḥ krodhādudatiṣṭhannudāyudhāḥ

Translation

As Satī spoke thus before the people, witnessing that wondrous act of giving up her life, Śiva’s attendant gaṇas quickly rose up in anger, weapons in hand.

Word by Word

• vadati: speaks
• vadati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• jane: among the people
• jane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• satyā: Satī
• satyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)

• asatī-āgama-adbhutam: the astonishing coming of impropriety
• asatī-āgama-adbhutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asatī + āgama + adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: asatyāḥ āgamaḥ = 'arrival of the unchaste/impure (act)' + adbhuta = 'wonderful/astonishing'

• drutam: quickly
• drutam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: drutam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tat-pārṣadāḥ: his attendants
• tat-pārṣadāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + pārṣada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: tasya pārṣadāḥ = 'his attendants'

• krodhāt: from anger / out of anger
• krodhāt: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); cause

• udatiṣṭhan: stood up / arose
• udatiṣṭhan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sthā (उद्-स्था धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• udāyudhāḥ: with weapons raised
• udāyudhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi: udgatāni āyudhāni yeṣām = 'whose weapons are raised'

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Shiva
• Shiva’s Ganas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the intensity of Satī’s devotion and the cosmic consequence of dishonoring Śiva: when the Lord’s bhakta is wronged and dharma is violated, the śaiva śakti (through the gaṇas) rises to restore moral order.

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

Śiva’s gaṇas represent Saguna Śiva’s active guardianship of devotees and dharma; devotion to the Liṅga is not merely symbolic but invokes the Lord’s protective, order-restoring presence when adharma prevails.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind in śaiva-bhakti through japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating humility and restraint so that anger transforms into dharmic strength rather than hatred.