Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

शिवपुत्रजननवर्णनम् — Description of the Birth/Manifestation of Śiva’s Son

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । रे रे सुरगणास्सर्वे यूयं दुष्टा विशेषतः । स्वार्थसंसाधका नित्यं तदर्थं परदुःखदाः

Transliteration

devyuvāca | re re suragaṇāssarve yūyaṃ duṣṭā viśeṣataḥ | svārthasaṃsādhakā nityaṃ tadarthaṃ paraduḥkhadāḥ

Translation

La Déesse dit : « Hé ! Hé ! Vous tous, cohortes des dieux—et vous surtout, vous êtes pervers. Sans cesse vous ne cherchez qu’à accomplir vos propres desseins, et pour cela vous devenez la cause de la souffrance d’autrui. »

Word by Word

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रे: hey!
• रे: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• रे: hey!
• रे: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• सुर-गणाः: O hosts of gods
• सुर-गणाः: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (group of gods)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: सम्बोधन-विशेषण (Sambodhana-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• दुष्टाः: wicked
• दुष्टाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from दुष्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्या/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• स्वार्थ-संसाधकाः: self-interest achievers
• स्वार्थ-संसाधकाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संसाधक (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्+साध्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (those who accomplish their own ends)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययवत् (accusative used adverbially: always)

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययवत् (for that purpose)

• पर-दुःख-दाः: causing others’ suffering
• पर-दुःख-दाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक; from दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (givers of others’ sorrow)

Speaker

Devī (the Goddess, i.e., Pārvatī/Umā in the Kumārakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Sura-gaṇa (Devas)

FAQs

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

It condemns svārtha (self-serving motive) that produces para-duḥkha (others’ suffering), pointing to the Shaiva ethic that true dharma and spiritual maturity are measured by compassion, restraint, and purity of intention.

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

Linga/Saguna-Shiva worship is meant to dissolve ego and self-interest; this rebuke highlights that even devas fall when actions are driven by personal gain rather than devotion, dharma, and reverence for Śiva’s order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa with the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while cultivating ahiṃsā and compassion; offer bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and pray to Śiva to purify svārtha so one’s actions do not become a cause of others’ pain.