Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । सतीशिवचरित्रं च शृणु मे प्रेमतो मुने । लौकिकीं गतिमाश्रित्य चिक्रीडाते सदान्वहम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | satīśivacaritraṃ ca śṛṇu me premato mune | laukikīṃ gatimāśritya cikrīḍāte sadānvaham

Translation

Брахма сказал: О мудрец, выслушай меня с любовью о священном сказании о Сати и Шиве. Приняв мирской образ поведения, они оба день за днём неизменно играли и радовались вместе.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म: Brahmā
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सतीशिवचरित्रम्: the story of Satī and Śiva
• सतीशिवचरित्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती + शिव + चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'सत्याः शिवस्य च चरित्रम्' (story of Satī and Śiva)

• च: and
• च: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रेमतः: with love / lovingly
• प्रेमतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त/ablatival adverb) 'out of love'

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लौकिकीम्: worldly
• लौकिकीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• गतिम्: course/way
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having resorted to'

• चिक्रीडाते: the two played/sported
• चिक्रीडाते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual), आत्मनेपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/temporal adverb)

• अन्वहम्: day by day
• अन्वहम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) 'प्रत्यहम्/each day'

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord (Śiva) and Śakti (Satī) may appear to follow ordinary worldly ways, yet their actions are divine līlā meant to guide beings toward devotion and right understanding rather than mere literal imitation.

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

By emphasizing Śiva’s accessible, “worldly” mode (laukikī gati), the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through relatable forms and stories, which naturally culminate in reverence for the Liṅga as the enduring, worship-worthy presence of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice implied is loving śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Śiva-kathā; as a takeaway, one may pair it with daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to internalize the bhakti mood evoked by Satī–Śiva līlā.