Shiva Purana: Uma Samhita, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 33

पुराणविदः महिमा तथा अध्ययन-अध्यापन-दानफलम्

The Glory of the Purāṇa-Knower and the Fruits of Study, Teaching, and Giving

Devanagari script

कलौ दुर्मेधसां पुंसां धर्माचारोझ्झितात्मनाम् । हिताय विदधे शम्भुः पुराणाख्यं सुधारसम्

Recitation with translationShiva Purana 5.13.33

Transliteration

kalau durmedhasāṃ puṃsāṃ dharmācārojhjhitātmanām | hitāya vidadhe śambhuḥ purāṇākhyaṃ sudhārasam

Translation

कलि युग में लोगों का दिमाग स्लो हो गया है, धरम छोड़ दिया है। शिव जी ने उनकी मदद के लिए पुराण बनाया, जो अमृत जैसा है।

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Word by Word

• कलौ: in Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दुर्मेधसाम्: of the dull-witted
• दुर्मेधसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• धर्म-आचार-उज्झित-आत्मनाम्: whose selves have forsaken dharmic conduct
• धर्म-आचार-उज्झित-आत्मनाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्झित (उद्+हā/झा?; √हā/त्यज् भावे, क्त; प्रातिपदिकवत्) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (धर्माचारः उज्झितः येषां ते = those whose selves have abandoned righteous conduct)

• हिताय: for the benefit
• हिताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (for the welfare)

• विदधे: ordained / instituted
• विदधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (he ordained/arranged)

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुराण-आख्यम्: called ‘Purāṇa’
• पुराण-आख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुराणम् आख्या यस्य/यत् = called ‘Purāṇa’)

• सुधा-रसम्: nectar-like essence
• सुधा-रसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सुधायाः रसः = nectar-essence)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal origin-story: Śambhu ‘ordained’ Purāṇa as sudhā-rasa for Kali-yuga beings who have fallen from dharmācāra—Purāṇa as remedial medicine/nectar.

Significance: Interprets scripture itself as Śiva’s compassionate institution for the spiritually weakened—pilgrimage of hearing that rehabilitates dharma and leads toward mokṣa.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kali-yuga as a cosmic-moral downturn prompting a compensatory revelation (śāstra-anugraha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that in Kali-yuga, when dharmic discipline declines, Lord Śiva compassionately provides the Purāṇic teaching as an accessible “nectar” to restore right understanding, devotion, and the path toward liberation.

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

By presenting the Purāṇa as Śiva’s remedy for Kali-yuga, it supports Saguna worship—such as devotion to Śiva in the form of the Liṅga—because Purāṇic narration and praise (stuti, kathā, māhātmya) become practical means for steady bhakti and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is regular śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of the Shiva Purana with devotion; this is commonly paired with simple Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and offering water to the Liṅga.