Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body

Devanagari script

हृदि स्थाप्योरसि धिया स्थितं कंठाद्भ्रुवोस्सती । अनिंदितानयन्मध्यं शंकरप्राणवल्लभा

Transliteration

hṛdi sthāpyorasi dhiyā sthitaṃ kaṃṭhādbhruvossatī | aniṃditānayanmadhyaṃ śaṃkaraprāṇavallabhā

Translation

サティー—咎なく、シャンカラにとって命そのものの愛しき者—は心臓に心を据え、ついで内なる覚知を胸へ、胸から喉へ、そして最後に眉間の中点へと引き上げた。

Word by Word

• hṛdi: in the heart
• hṛdi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• sthāpya: having placed
• sthāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (Gerund) causative sense ‘having placed/established’

• urasi: in the chest
• urasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• dhiyā: by/with the mind (intellect)
• dhiyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• sthitam: that which is placed/positioned
• sthitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘placed/standing’

• kaṃṭhāt: from the throat
• kaṃṭhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṃṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• bhruvoḥ: of the two eyebrows
• bhruvoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन

• satī: Satī
• satī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• aniṃditā: blameless
• aniṃditā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nindita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ānayat: brought/led
• ānayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• madhyam: to the middle
• madhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• śaṃkara-prāṇa-vallabhā: beloved of Śaṅkara’s life-breath (dearest to Śaṅkara)
• śaṃkara-prāṇa-vallabhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara + prāṇa + vallabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): शंकरस्य प्राणानां वल्लभा

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Shiva (Shankara)

FAQs

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

It depicts Satī’s disciplined inner withdrawal—moving awareness through subtle centers—showing that union with Śiva is approached by concentrating the mind and life-force inward, beyond outward insult or circumstance.

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

While Linga worship is an outer support (saguṇa-upāsanā), this verse highlights the inner Linga—Śiva realized in the heart and in concentrated awareness—showing the Purāṇa’s harmony of external devotion and internal yoga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna practice of steadying the mind in the heart and guiding awareness upward to the space between the eyebrows (ājñā), ideally supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a calm, devotional focus on Śiva.