Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

विष्णोर्दर्शनं स्तुतिश्च

Viṣṇu’s Manifestation and Brahmā’s Hymn

Devanagari script

अशोचं बहुधा चित्ते गृह्णीयात्स कथं स्त्रियम् । निर्विकारी जितात्मा स शंकरो योगतत्परः

Transliteration

aśocaṃ bahudhā citte gṛhṇīyātsa kathaṃ striyam | nirvikārī jitātmā sa śaṃkaro yogatatparaḥ

Translation

Comment Śaṅkara pourrait-il accepter une femme qui, sans cesse, nourrit le chagrin dans son esprit ? Il est immuable, maître de lui-même, et toujours voué au Yoga—établi dans l’état seigneurial au-delà de toute agitation mentale.

Word by Word

• अशोचम्: free from grief
• अशोचम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशोच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• बहुधा: in many ways/often
• बहुधा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in many ways/often)

• चित्ते: in the mind
• चित्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• गृह्णीयात्: should accept/should take
• गृह्णीयात्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• स्त्रियम्: a woman
• स्त्रियम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निर्विकारी: unchanging, without modification
• निर्विकारी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जितात्मा: one who has conquered the self
• जितात्मा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आत्मा जितः)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• योगतत्परः: devoted to yoga
• योगतत्परः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (योगे तत्परः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Satī narrative to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It contrasts sorrow-bound, changeful mind-states with Śiva’s nirvikāra nature, teaching that liberation requires conquering mental fluctuations and abiding in yogic steadiness under the Lord (Pati).

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

The Liṅga represents the changeless reality (nirvikāra) while also being worshiped as Saguna Śiva; this verse points devotees to approach Liṅga-worship with inner purity, detachment, and yogic composure rather than emotional turbulence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna on Śiva as yogatatpara, supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steadying disciplines like Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and rudrākṣa as aids to self-control and mental equanimity.