Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

भिन्नांजननिभास्सर्वे फुल्लराजीवलोचनाः । नितांतयतयः पुण्यास्संसारविमुखाः परे

Transliteration

bhinnāṃjananibhāssarve phullarājīvalocanāḥ | nitāṃtayatayaḥ puṇyāssaṃsāravimukhāḥ pare

Translation

Tous avaient une teinte sombre, pareille à l’anjana réduit en poudre, et des yeux comme des lotus en pleine floraison. C’étaient des ascètes d’une discipline absolue, purs et méritants, entièrement détournés du samsara, tendus vers la délivrance sur la voie de Śiva.

Word by Word

• भिन्न-अञ्जन-निभाः: having the hue of split collyrium (dark-eyed)
• भिन्न-अञ्जन-निभाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त, √भिद्) + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अञ्जनस्य निभाः; भिन्नं अञ्जनं यस्य)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• फुल्ल-राजीव-लोचनाः: whose eyes are like blooming lotuses
• फुल्ल-राजीव-लोचनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + राजीव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (फुल्लराजीवे लोचने यस्य)

• नितान्त-यतयः: thoroughly restrained ascetics
• नितान्त-यतयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नितान्त (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (नितान्ताः यतयः)

• पुण्याः: virtuous
• पुण्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• संसार-विमुखाः: turned away from worldly existence
• संसार-विमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (संसारात् विमुखाः / संसारे विमुखाः)

• परे: supreme; excellent ones
• परे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya in the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva’s ideal devotee as a yati: inwardly pure, disciplined, and detached from saṃsāra—signifying that proximity to Shiva is marked by vairāgya (dispassion) and a liberation-oriented life.

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

Though descriptive, it supports Saguna Shiva devotion by showing the fruits of Shiva-upāsanā: the devotee becomes purified and world-detached. Linga-worship, accompanied by japa and right conduct, is portrayed as a pathway to such transformation and ultimately to Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sustained discipline: daily Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), meditation on Shiva, and a life of restraint and detachment—supported by Shaiva observances like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where practiced.