Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 46

दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva

Devanagari script

तनुनाशेपि संप्राप्यास्तैश्चापि यमयातनाः । तानैव शक्यते सोढुं बहुदुःखप्रदायिनीः

Transliteration

tanunāśepi saṃprāpyāstaiścāpi yamayātanāḥ | tānaiva śakyate soḍhuṃ bahuduḥkhapradāyinīḥ

Translation

ശരീരം നശിച്ചാലും അവർക്കു യമന്റെ യാതനകൾ അനുഭവിക്കേണ്ടിവരും. പലവിധ ദുഃഖം നൽകുന്ന ആ പീഡകൾ സത്യത്തിൽ അവരാൽ (പാപികളാൽ) മാത്രമേ സഹിക്കാനാകൂ.

Word by Word

• तनु-नाशे: in (the event of) bodily destruction
• तनु-नाशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location/condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तन्वाः नाशः)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

• संप्राप्याः: having been obtained/undergone
• संप्राप्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तव्य/ल्यप्-प्राय? (here: past passive participle sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• यम-यातनाः: Yama’s tortures
• यम-यातनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यमस्य यातनाः)

• तान्: those (tortures)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• सोढुम्: to endure
• सोढुम्: Karma (कर्म/Complement of ‘possible’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु) → सोढुं (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय, infinitive)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; शक्यते इत्यस्य पूरक (complement)

• बहु-दुःख-प्रदायिनीः: giving much suffering
• बहु-दुःख-प्रदायिनीः: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; (बहुं दुःखं प्रददाति इति) बहुव्रीह्यर्थ-प्रायः, परन्तु रूपेण तत्पुरुष-समास-श्रृङ्खला

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

It teaches that karmic consequences do not end with death; the jīva continues to face results after the body falls, urging repentance and turning toward Shiva-centered dharma for liberation.

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

By highlighting post-death accountability, it implicitly directs the seeker to take refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga with devotion and right conduct—as a purifying path that loosens pāśa (bondage) and leads toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt regular Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra with sincere ethical living, as remedial disciplines to reduce karmic suffering.