Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

मद्भक्तानां हितार्थाय मानुषं भावमाश्रिताः । रुद्रलोकात्परिभ्रष्टास्ते रुद्रा नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

madbhaktānāṃ hitārthāya mānuṣaṃ bhāvamāśritāḥ | rudralokātparibhraṣṭāste rudrā nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

For the welfare of My devotees, they have assumed a human mode of being. Having descended from Rudra-loka, they are indeed Rudras—of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• mat-bhaktānām: of my devotees
• mat-bhaktānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (asmad) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa (ṣaṣṭhī): mat-bhakta = 'devotee of me'

• hita-arthāya: for the welfare (of)
• hita-arthāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: hitārtha = 'for welfare/purpose of benefit'

• mānuṣam: human
• mānuṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; qualifies bhāvam

• bhāvam: state/nature
• bhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• āśritāḥ: having taken refuge in / having assumed
• āśritāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (past passive participle/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; used predicatively: 'having resorted to'

• rudra-lokāt: from Rudra-loka
• rudra-lokāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Ablative), Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: rudraloka = 'Rudra's world'

• paribhraṣṭāḥ: fallen away
• paribhraṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√bhraṃś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'fallen away/deviated'

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Sarvanāma

• rudrāḥ: Rudras
• rudrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha

• atra: here, in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (adverb of place/अत्र)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames compassionate descent: Rudra-associated beings take human birth for devotees’ welfare (loka-saṅgraha).

Significance: General tīrtha-idea: darśana of Śiva’s emissaries/saints is purifying and welfare-bestowing (sat-saṅga).

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Descent from Rudra-loka into human embodiment for devotees’ benefit (a localized ‘avatāra’ motif).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Rudra-loka

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva’s grace operates through divine agencies: Rudras can take human embodiment to protect and uplift devotees, showing that bhakti draws down divine support even into worldly life.

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

The verse affirms Saguna Shiva’s compassionate activity—Shiva is worshipped as the Linga beyond form, yet He also manifests through Rudras and empowered beings to safeguard devotees and restore dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate steady bhakti with daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and simple Shiva-upasana (Linga abhisheka with devotion); the teaching emphasizes inner surrender as the channel for Rudra’s protective grace.