Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34

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

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

इति मे संशयं स्वामिञ्शंकर छेत्तुमर्हसि । सेव्यस्य सेवकेनैव घटते प्रणतिः प्रभो

Transliteration

iti me saṃśayaṃ svāmiñśaṃkara chettumarhasi | sevyasya sevakenaiva ghaṭate praṇatiḥ prabho

Translation

ดังนี้ ข้าแต่พระศังกรผู้เป็นนาย โปรดขจัดความสงสัยของข้าพเจ้าเถิด ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เป็นการสมควรที่ผู้รับใช้จะนอบน้อมกราบไหว้แด่ผู้ควรบูชา.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; enclitic genitive

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स्वामिन्: O master
• स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• छेत्तुम्: to cut off (remove)
• छेत्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive/तुमन्त); अर्थः—कर्तुं (to do)

• अर्हसि: you are able/you ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सेव्यस्य: of the one to be served
• सेव्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सेव् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘one to be served’

• सेवकेन: by the servant
• सेवकेन: Karana (करण/instrument/agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• घटते: happens/is fitting
• घटते: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घट् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रणतिः: bowing, obeisance
• प्रणतिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Parvati (Sati-khaṇḍa dialogue: the Goddess addressing Lord Shiva as Śaṅkara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse affirms the Shaiva Siddhanta ethic of humility: the jīva (servant) naturally offers praṇati to Pati (Śiva), acknowledging Śiva as the supreme, worship-worthy Lord who removes doubts and grants right understanding.

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

Praṇati is a foundational limb of Linga/Saguna-Śiva worship—approaching the worship-worthy Lord with reverence before mantra, abhiṣeka, and pūjā—expressing the devotee’s dependence on Śiva’s grace to resolve inner doubts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin Śiva-pūjā with praṇāma and a brief saṅkalpa, then chant the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a surrendered attitude; the core practice implied is humble bowing and seeking Śiva’s guidance to cut doubt.