Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

सर्वेयं शिवलीला हि बहुलीलाकरः प्रभुः । स्वतंत्रो निर्विकारी च सती सापि हि तद्विधा

Transliteration

sarveyaṃ śivalīlā hi bahulīlākaraḥ prabhuḥ | svataṃtro nirvikārī ca satī sāpi hi tadvidhā

Translation

このすべてはまことにシヴァの神聖なるリーラー（戯れ）である。無数のリーラーを顕す主は、完全に自在で不変であり、サティーもまたまさに同一の本性を具える。

Word by Word

• sarvā: all/entire
• sarvā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); sarvanāma-viśeṣaṇa (सर्वनाम-विशेषण)

• iyam: this (she/this)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (सर्वनाम)

• śiva-līlā: Śiva’s play/divine sport
• śiva-līlā: Pradhāna-pada / Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘Śivasya līlā’

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) / emphasis-causal particle

• bahu-līlā-karaḥ: performer of many divine plays
• bahu-līlā-karaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Samānādhikaraṇa with prabhuḥ
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘bahvīḥ līlāḥ karoti’ (one who performs many plays)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• svatantraḥ: independent
• svatantraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of prabhuḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svatantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• nirvikārī: unchanging/without modification
• nirvikārī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of prabhuḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirvikārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात) conjunction

• satī: Satī
• satī: Karta (कर्ता) / topic
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; proper noun

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता) / anuvāda (resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) additive/also

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात)

• tad-vidhā: of that very kind/similar to him
• tad-vidhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘tasya vidhā’ = of that kind; viśeṣaṇa of sā/satī

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It teaches that the entire narrative-world is Śiva’s līlā, while Śiva remains svatantra (self-sovereign) and nirvikārī (unchanged). Satī is affirmed as sharing that divine, non-limiting nature—supporting a Shaiva Siddhanta view where the Supreme is beyond change even while revealing forms for grace.

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

By calling all events Śiva’s līlā, the verse validates saguna worship (forms, stories, icons) as compassionate self-manifestation, while reminding devotees that the reality worshipped—often through the Śiva-liṅga—remains changeless and transcendent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as nirvikārī while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), seeing all experiences as His līlā; this steadies the mind in devotion and detachment.