Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 62

दीक्षितपुत्रस्य दैन्यचिन्ता तथा शिवरात्र्युपासनाप्रसङ्गः / The Initiate’s Son in Distress and the Occasion of Śivarātri Worship

Devanagari script

एवं फलति कालेन शिवेऽल्पमपि यत्कृतम् । इति ज्ञात्वा शिवे कार्यं भजनं सुसुखार्थिभिः

Transliteration

evaṃ phalati kālena śive'lpamapi yatkṛtam | iti jñātvā śive kāryaṃ bhajanaṃ susukhārthibhiḥ

Translation

Ainsi, en son temps, même un acte infime accompli pour Śiva porte du fruit. Le sachant, ceux qui aspirent au vrai bien-être doivent se vouer au culte dévotionnel de Śiva.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (thus/in this way)

• phalati: bears fruit
• phalati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: phal (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kālena: in time
• kālena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/काल (in due course/with time)

• śive: in (devotion to) Śiva
• śive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in/with regard to Śiva)

• alpam: a little (thing)
• alpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यत्कृतम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-अव्यय (even/also)

• yat-kṛtam: whatever is done
• yat-kṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘कृत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक ‘यत्’ (relative)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative)

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• śive: towards Śiva
• śive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरण

• kāryam: should be done
• kāryam: Vidhi/Pradhāna (विधि/प्रधान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• bhajanam: worship/devotion
• bhajanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhajana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तव्यवस्तु (predicate noun)

• su-sukha-arthibhiḥ: by those seeking excellent happiness
• su-sukha-arthibhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सुसुखं अर्थयन्ति ये’ = सुखार्थिनः; करण/कर्तृसहचर (by those who desire great happiness)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General purāṇic teaching: even minimal śiva-bhakti accrues puṇya that matures over time; the verse functions as a phala-śruti style exhortation rather than a site-specific legend.

Significance: Affirms that small acts of Śiva-worship (arcana, dīpa, namaskāra, smaraṇa) ripen into lasting welfare (sukha/śreyas), encouraging steady pilgrimage and daily temple practice.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva responds even to small acts of devotion, and that their merit matures with time—encouraging steady bhakti as a reliable path to welfare and liberation.

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā: even simple, sincere worship of Śiva—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga with offerings and remembrance—accumulates grace and bears fruit in due course.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva bhajana—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” simple liṅga-pūjā, and mindful remembrance—performed consistently, even in small measure.