Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

सयंत्रमंत्रशास्त्रं च तन्माहात्म्यं विशेषतः । अन्यानि धर्मवस्तूनि जीवोद्धारकराणि हि

Transliteration

sayaṃtramaṃtraśāstraṃ ca tanmāhātmyaṃ viśeṣataḥ | anyāni dharmavastūni jīvoddhārakarāṇi hi

Translation

Et (il parla) des écritures sur les yantras et les mantras, et tout particulièrement de leur grandeur ; ainsi que d’autres enseignements religieux — en vérité, de ces matières du dharma qui deviennent des moyens d’élévation et de délivrance pour l’âme incarnée.

Word by Word

• स-यन्त्र-मन्त्र-शास्त्रम्: the treatise on yantras and mantras (with their apparatus)
• स-यन्त्र-मन्त्र-शास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय ‘सह’) + यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) वा द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—यन्त्र-मन्त्रयोः शास्त्रम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) तथा ‘स’ = ‘सहितम्’ अर्थे उपपद-समासवत् प्रयोग

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तत्-माहात्म्यम्: its greatness / glory
• तत्-माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) वा द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तस्य माहात्म्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘especially’)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) वा द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• धर्म-वस्तूनि: things pertaining to dharma
• धर्म-वस्तूनि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) वा द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—धर्मस्य वस्तूनि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• जीव-उद्धार-कराणि: bringing about the soul’s deliverance
• जीव-उद्धार-कराणि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धार (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) वा द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—जीवस्य उद्धारं कुर्वन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः) विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Sati Khanda narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra- and yantra-knowledge is not mere technique; when grounded in dharma, it becomes a means for the jīva’s upliftment—moving the soul toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

Yantra and mantra are classic supports for Saguna worship—helping focus mind and ritual intention—so that devotion to Shiva (often through Linga-upasana) becomes steady and spiritually transformative rather than merely external.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with correct understanding (mantra-śāstra) and disciplined dharmic conduct is implied; yantra-based worship may be used as an aid to concentration, ideally aligned with Shaiva devotion and purity of practice.