Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 64

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

आलम्बनं विना तस्य पदमुच्चैः सुदुष्करम् । निर्गुणप्राप्तये नॄणां प्रतिमालम्बनं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

ālambanaṃ vinā tasya padamuccaiḥ suduṣkaram | nirguṇaprāptaye nṝṇāṃ pratimālambanaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Sans appui, atteindre cet état sublime est extrêmement difficile. C’est pourquoi, afin que les hommes parviennent à la Réalité Nirguṇa (sans attributs), il est enseigné de prendre pour support une image sacrée (pratimā).

Word by Word

• ālambanam: support, prop, basis
• ālambanam: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ālambana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; abstract/support noun

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपातः/पूर्वपद-प्रयोगः; ‘without’ (governs instrumental/ablative sense)

• tasya: of him/that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), एकवचन

• padam: state/position/goal (spiritual step)
• padam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• uccaiḥ: highly, aloft, greatly
• uccaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uccaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• su-duṣkaram: very difficult
• su-duṣkaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣkara (प्रातिपदिक) + su- (उपसर्ग/पूर्वप्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies padam)

• nirguṇa-prāptaye: for attaining the attributeless (state)
• nirguṇa-prāptaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case, Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nirguṇasya prāptiḥ)

• nṝṇām: of men/people
• nṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), बहुवचन

• pratimā-ālambanam: the image as a support
• pratimā-ālambanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक) + ālambana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pratimāyāḥ ālambanam)

• smṛtam: is declared/considered
• smṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is considered/remembered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the highest, formless realization (Nirguṇa) is difficult for embodied minds without a practical support; therefore, devotional worship with form (pratimā/ālambana) is a compassionate method leading the seeker toward the same Supreme Shiva.

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

The verse affirms Saguna worship as a legitimate spiritual aid: by focusing devotion and meditation on a sacred form—especially Shiva’s Linga or a consecrated image—the mind becomes steady and purified, eventually maturing toward Nirguṇa understanding of Shiva beyond attributes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular supported worship (ālambana-upāsanā) such as Linga/pratimā pūjā with mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and focused meditation on Shiva’s presence in the form, using the form as a concentrative aid until inner contemplation becomes subtle and formless.