Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

भक्तहेतोरहं देवि रावणं सगणं क्रुधा । त्यजति स्म कृतो नैव पक्षपातो हि तस्य वै

Transliteration

bhaktahetorahaṃ devi rāvaṇaṃ sagaṇaṃ krudhā | tyajati sma kṛto naiva pakṣapāto hi tasya vai

Translation

Wahai Dewi, demi hamba-Ku yang berbhakti, Aku dengan murka meninggalkan Rāvaṇa beserta para pengiringnya; sesungguhnya tiada pernah Aku menunjukkan keberpihakan kepadanya.

Word by Word

• भक्त-हेतोः: for the sake of a devotee
• भक्त-हेतोः: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive Tatpuruṣa); हेतु-शब्दः पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular)

• रावणम्: Rāvaṇa
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• स-गणम्: together with his retinue
• स-गणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (with/along with); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; रावणम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• क्रुधा: in anger
• क्रुधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रुधा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)
• Form: अव्यय; करण/भाववाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial, ‘in anger’)

• त्यजति: (he) abandons / gives up
• त्यजति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• स्म: indeed/then (past marker)
• स्म: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भूतार्थे/अनुस्मरणार्थे निपातः (particle indicating past narration)

• कृतः: done/made
• कृतः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पक्षपातः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• पक्षपातः: partiality/bias
• पक्षपातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (for/indeed)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: certainly
• वै: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse illustrates Śiva’s protection of a devotee by withdrawing favor from an offender (Rāvaṇa) despite prior connections.

Significance: General teaching: bhakti draws Śiva’s anugraha; arrogance and adharmic conduct lead to loss of divine support.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Ravana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that Shiva’s actions are guided by dharma and the protection of sincere devotion, not by personal bias; even powerful beings like Rāvaṇa are not exempt when devotion is absent or conduct becomes adharmic.

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

As Saguna Shiva, the Lord responds within the world to uphold dharma and safeguard devotees; Linga-worship emphasizes approaching Shiva with humility and bhakti rather than relying on mere power, lineage, or boons.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady bhakti through japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a disciplined, ego-reducing attitude, supported by Shaiva marks like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as a reminder of surrender and dharma.