Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

दुष्टेन पीडितैर्देवैस्तारकेणाऽखिलैर्विभो । कर्म तत्कारितं नाथ नान्यथा विद्धि शंकर

Transliteration

duṣṭena pīḍitairdevaistārakeṇā'khilairvibho | karma tatkāritaṃ nātha nānyathā viddhi śaṃkara

Translation

О всепроникающий Владыка! Все боги, терзаемые злодеем Таракой, побудили к совершению этого деяния. О Господь, знай: так оно и есть, и не иначе, о Шанкара.

Word by Word

• दुष्टेन: by the wicked (one)
• दुष्टेन: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पीडितैः: afflicted
• पीडितैः: विशेषण (देवानाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीडित (कृदन्त; पीड् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), विशेषणम्

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: सह/साधन (Agent in passive sense / affected group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• तारकेण: by Tāraka
• तारकेण: करण (Instrument/Agent causing affliction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• अखिलैः: all (of them)
• अखिलैः: विशेषण (देवानाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• कर्म: the act/deed
• कर्म: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• तत्-कारितम्: caused by him/that (instigated)
• तत्-कारितम्: विशेषण (कर्मणः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कारित (कृदन्त; कृ (धातु) + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य कारितम् = caused by him/that); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, विशेषणम् (कर्मणः)

• नाथ: O protector
• नाथ: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

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

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• विद्धि: know/understand
• विद्धि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

The Devas (gods), addressing Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Tāraka

FAQs

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

The verse shows śaraṇāgati (surrender): when the Devas are oppressed by adharma (here, Tāraka), they turn to Śaṅkara as the supreme refuge and acknowledge that the unfolding action is divinely oriented rather than merely political or personal.

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

By addressing Shiva as Vibhu and Śaṅkara, the Devas approach the compassionate Saguna Lord who responds to prayers and restores dharma; in practice this same accessible Lord is worshipped through the Śiva-liṅga as the concrete focus of devotion and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is prayerful surrender to Shiva—mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering water/bilva to the liṅga, and cultivating the attitude “nānyathā”—accepting Shiva’s will as the highest good.