Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 52

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

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

रामं विज्ञाय विष्णुं तं स्वरूपं संविधाय च । स्मृत्वा शिवपदं चित्ते सत्युवाच प्रसन्नधीः

Transliteration

rāmaṃ vijñāya viṣṇuṃ taṃ svarūpaṃ saṃvidhāya ca | smṛtvā śivapadaṃ citte satyuvāca prasannadhīḥ

Translation

Reconnaissant que Rāma était bien Viṣṇu et comprenant sa nature véritable, il se souvint en son cœur de la demeure suprême de Śiva ; puis, l’esprit apaisé, il dit la vérité.

Word by Word

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• विज्ञाय: having recognized
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with vi- उपसर्ग; ‘having recognized/known’

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• स्वरूपम्: true form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय ‘स्वं रूपम्’ (one’s own form/true nature); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• संविधाय: having assumed/arranged
• संविधाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with sam- उपसर्ग; ‘having arranged/assumed/formed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having remembered’

• शिवपदम्: Shiva’s state/abode
• शिवपदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘शिवस्य पदम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

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

• सत्य: truthfully
• सत्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially) ‘truthfully’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रसन्नधीः: one of serene mind
• प्रसन्नधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि ‘प्रसन्ना धीः यस्य सः’ (one whose mind is clear); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames a doctrinal pivot: recognition of Viṣṇu’s avatāra (Rāma) while recollecting Śiva’s supreme padam as the highest refuge.

Significance: Establishes the Śaiva Siddhānta hierarchy: devotion to Viṣṇu is honored, yet the final goal (śivapada) is liberation by Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Rama

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment (viveka): even after recognizing Viṣṇu’s divine presence in Rāma, the devotee anchors the mind in Śiva-pada—the supreme state of Śiva—as the highest refuge, and from that inner clarity speaks truth.

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

Remembering “Śiva-pada” points to meditative fixation on Śiva as both Saguna (approachable through Liṅga worship) and the supreme transcendent goal; Liṅga-upāsanā becomes the concrete support through which the mind is led to that highest state.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is manasa-smaraṇa (mental remembrance) of Śiva while maintaining satya (truthfulness); in worship this aligns with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady inner contemplation of Śiva as the final goal.