Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

यत्कृत्वा विषयी जीवस्स लभेत्परमं पदम् । संसारी न भवेन्नाथ तत्त्वं वद कृपां कुरु

Transliteration

yatkṛtvā viṣayī jīvassa labhetparamaṃ padam | saṃsārī na bhavennātha tattvaṃ vada kṛpāṃ kuru

Translation

ഹേ നാഥാ! വിഷയങ്ങളിൽ ആസക്തനായ ജീവനും എന്ത് ചെയ്താൽ പരമപദം പ്രാപിച്ച് പിന്നെ സംസാരബന്ധത്തിൽ നിലനിൽക്കാതിരിക്കും? കൃപചെയ്ത് തത്ത്വം അരുളേണം।

Word by Word

• yat: which (that)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun used with gerund

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘having done’

• viṣayī: sense-enjoyer, worldly person
• viṣayī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣayin (विषयिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jīvaḥ: living being
• jīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (जीव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• labheta: may obtain
• labheta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (परम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies padam

• padam: state, abode, position
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (पद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃsārī: one bound to transmigration
• saṃsārī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsārin (संसारिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha/Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• bhavet: would be, may become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• nātha: O Lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (नाथ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tattvam: truth, principle
• tattvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (तत्त्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vada: tell, speak
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛpām: compassion, mercy
• kṛpām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛpā (कृपा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuru: do, show
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Satī (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

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 frames the central Shaiva problem: the jīva, even when attached to viṣayas, seeks the liberating tattva by Śiva’s grace so that bondage to saṃsāra ends and the supreme state is attained.

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

Satī approaches Śiva as Nātha (the accessible Lord), implying that liberation for the bound soul is gained through turning to Saguna Śiva—classically through Linga-bhakti, mantra, and surrender that invite Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse explicitly asks for the liberating ‘what’ (sādhana); in the Shiva Purana’s Shaiva framework this is commonly answered through Shiva-bhakti supported by japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with purifying observances like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa where taught.