Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

दक्षयज्ञ-प्रसङ्गे देवतानां आश्वासनं तथा दण्डविधानम् | Consolation of the Devas and the Ordinance of Consequences in the Dakṣa-Yajña Episode

Devanagari script

परेषां क्लेदनं कर्म न कार्यं तत्कदाचन । परं द्वेष्टि परेषां यदात्मनस्तद्भविष्यति

Transliteration

pareṣāṃ kledanaṃ karma na kāryaṃ tatkadācana | paraṃ dveṣṭi pareṣāṃ yadātmanastadbhaviṣyati

Translation

One should never, at any time, engage in actions that cause affliction to others. For whatever harm or hatred one directs toward others, that very consequence returns upon one’s own self.

Word by Word

• pareṣām: of others
• pareṣām: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• kledanam: afflicting/distressing
• kledanam: Karma (कर्म; with ‘kāryam’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kledana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; verbal noun ‘causing distress/moistening’

• karma: act/deed
• karma: Karta (कर्ता; subject of ‘(is) to be done’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate-noun

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• kāryam: should be done
• kāryam: Kriya (क्रिया; obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ-णीयत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (णीयत्/gerundive) ‘to be done/should be done’

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshya (विशेष्य; refers to the act)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative

• kadācana: ever
• kadācana: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (ever/at any time)

• param: another (person)
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dveṣṭi: hates
• dveṣṭi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dviṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pareṣām: of others
• pareṣām: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘will become’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• ātmanaḥ: of oneself
• ātmanaḥ: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘will become’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhaviṣyati: will become/happen
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a Shaiva dharmic ethic: harming beings intensifies bondage (pāśa) and returns as suffering to the doer; compassion and non-harming support inner purification that leads the soul toward Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

Linga-worship is not only external ritual; it requires purity of intention. Malice toward others contradicts devotion to Saguna Shiva, who is revered as the indwelling Lord (Pati) of all beings—so true worship includes refraining from causing distress.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of ahiṃsā (non-harming) and kṣamā (forgiveness), using the mantra to dissolve hatred before performing any Shiva-pūjā.