Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

सदा भृत्यानुकूल्येन विधिना मे परात्मने । अर्पणं षोडशानां वै पाद्यादीनां तदर्चनम्

Transliteration

sadā bhṛtyānukūlyena vidhinā me parātmane | arpaṇaṃ ṣoḍaśānāṃ vai pādyādīnāṃ tadarcanam

Translation

常に、忠実な侍者のごとき慎みの心をもって、正しい作法に従い、我—至上の自己（パラマートマン）—に、足を洗う水に始まる十六の供養を捧げよ。その捧げものこそが、我への真の礼拝である。

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyavishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• भृत्यानुकूल्येन: by servant-like compliance
• भृत्यानुकूल्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य-अनुकूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; भाववाचक; करण (manner/means)

• विधिना: by the rule/rite
• विधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (by the prescribed method)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• परात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परात्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative—recipient)

• अर्पणम्: offering (the act of offering)
• अर्पणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम; धातु: अर्प् (to offer)

• षोडशानाम्: of sixteen
• षोडशानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (of sixteen)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• पाद्यादीनाम्: of (items) beginning with water for washing the feet (pādya etc.)
• पाद्यादीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ समाहार; सम्बन्ध

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (अर्चनम्)

• अर्चनम्: worship (the act of worship)
• अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम; धातु: अर्च् (to worship)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes the normative Śaiva arcana-bhakti: offering ṣoḍaśopacāra with dāsya-bhāva purifies the paśu and becomes a direct means to Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is approached as Parātman (the Supreme Lord) through humble bhakti expressed as service; ritual correctness (vidhi) becomes spiritually potent when offered with the inner mood of a devoted attendant.

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

The “sixteen offerings beginning with pādya” are the standard upacāras used in Saguna worship—commonly performed to the Shiva Linga—where tangible services embody devotion and concentrate the mind on Shiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform ṣoḍaśopacāra-arcana (sixteenfold worship) with strict vidhi and a bhṛtya-bhāva (servant-like humility); accompany it with mantra-japa such as the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to keep the offering inwardly contemplative.