Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

त्वं प्रणम्यो हि सर्वेषां सेव्यो ध्येयश्च सर्वदा । वेदांतवेद्यो यत्नेन निर्विकारी परप्रभुः

Transliteration

tvaṃ praṇamyo hi sarveṣāṃ sevyo dhyeyaśca sarvadā | vedāṃtavedyo yatnena nirvikārī paraprabhuḥ

Translation

Tu es vraiment digne de l’hommage de tous ; toujours digne d’être servi et sans cesse objet de méditation. Par le Vedānta on Te connaît au prix d’un effort fervent : immuable, Seigneur suprême au-delà de tout.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रणम्यः: worthy of salutation
• प्रणम्यः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/ण्यत्-भावः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रणमनीयः’ (fit to be bowed to)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• सेव्यः: worthy of worship/service
• सेव्यः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सेवनीयः’ (fit to be served/worshipped)

• ध्येयः: worthy of meditation
• ध्येयः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ध्यानीयः’ (fit to be meditated upon)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वदा: at all times
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• वेदान्त-वेद्यः: knowable through Vedānta
• वेदान्त-वेद्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदान्त + वेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदान्ते वेद्यः = known through Vedānta)

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• निर्विकारी: unchanging
• निर्विकारी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण

• परप्रभुः: the Supreme Lord
• परप्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परः प्रभुः)

Speaker

Sati (addressing Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme, changeless Lord—who is approached through three integrated means: namaskāra (humble surrender), sevā (devotional service), and dhyāna (steady contemplation), culminating in Vedāntic realization of His transcendence.

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

Though Shiva is described as nirvikārī and beyond all, devotees serve and meditate upon Him through accessible saguna forms—most centrally the Śiva-liṅga—where reverence, worship, and concentration mature into insight into His formless supremacy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to daily śiva-upāsanā: offer prostrations, perform simple sevā (water, bilva leaves, lamp), and practice dhyāna while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aiming for steady, effortful contemplation.