Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

केवलं कर्म्मणा त्वं स्म संसारं तर्तुमिच्छसि । अत एवाभवं रुष्टो यज्ञविध्वंसकारकः

Transliteration

kevalaṃ karmmaṇā tvaṃ sma saṃsāraṃ tartumicchasi | ata evābhavaṃ ruṣṭo yajñavidhvaṃsakārakaḥ

Translation

ท่านปรารถนาจะข้ามวัฏสงสารด้วยกรรมเพียงอย่างเดียว; เพราะเหตุนั้นเราจึงกริ้ว และกลายเป็นผู้ทำลายยัญพิธีนั้น.

Word by Word

• kevalam: only, merely
• kevalam: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• karmaṇā: by action/ritual work
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• sma: indeed/just (particle)
• sma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), स्म-निपातः (particle indicating emphasis/past recollection)

• saṃsāram: the cycle of worldly existence
• saṃsāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• tartum: to cross
• tartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṝ (तॄ धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अर्थः—कर्तुं (to do)

• icchasi: you desire
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• ataḥ: therefore/from that
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), हेत्वर्थक अव्यय (causal adverb)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• abhavam: I became
• abhavam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लुङ् लकार (Aorist/परोक्षभूत), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—अ (augment)

• ruṣṭaḥ: angry
• ruṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ruṣṭa (कृदन्त; √ruṣ रुष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• yajña-vidhvaṃsa-kārakaḥ: the destroyer of the sacrifice
• yajña-vidhvaṃsa-kārakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhvaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (yajñasya vidhvaṃsaḥ → tasya kārakaḥ)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Episode belongs to the Dakṣa-yajña cycle: Śiva’s wrath manifests to dismantle ritual arrogance and reorient dharma toward true knowledge and devotion.

Significance: Remembered as a cautionary teaching: ritual action without inner surrender/jñāna becomes an obstacle; humility before Śiva is the ‘tīrtha’ of the heart.

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that mere ritual action (karma) cannot by itself liberate one from saṁsāra; without Shiva’s grace, devotion, and right knowledge, ritual becomes ego-centered and remains within bondage (pāśa).

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

It underscores that outward rites like yajña are incomplete when they exclude reverence to Shiva; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship represents surrender to Pati (Shiva), aligning ritual with devotion and grace rather than pride in performance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform rituals with Shiva-bhakti and mantra-centered remembrance—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—so karma becomes purified worship rather than a self-powered attempt at liberation.