Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 57

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

यथा जलेषु कमलं सलिलैर्नावलिप्यते । तथा ज्ञानी गृहे तिष्ठन्कर्मणा नावबध्यते

Transliteration

yathā jaleṣu kamalaṃ salilairnāvalipyate | tathā jñānī gṛhe tiṣṭhankarmaṇā nāvabadhyate

Translation

ดุจดอกบัวในน้ำไม่เปื้อนน้ำ ฉันใด ผู้รู้ความจริงแม้อยู่ครองเรือนก็ไม่ถูกผูกมัดด้วยกรรม ฉันนั้น.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—उपमानवाचक (indeclinable: as/just as)

• जलेषु: in waters
• जलेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-बहुवचन (Neuter, Locative plural)

• कमलम्: lotus
• कमलम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative singular)

• सलिलैः: by waters
• सलिलैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

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

• अवलिप्यते: is tainted
• अवलिप्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense): 'is smeared/tainted'

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—तुलना/समता (indeclinable: likewise)

• ज्ञानी: the knower, wise person
• ज्ञानी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Neuter, Locative singular)

• तिष्ठन्: staying (while dwelling)
• तिष्ठन्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → तिष्ठत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; 'while staying'

• कर्मणा: by action, through karma
• कर्मणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental singular)

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

• अवबध्यते: is bound
• अवबध्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense): 'is bound/ensnared'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching on knowledge and non-attachment within creation-context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga legend; uses a pan-Indic mokṣa pedagogy image (lotus-water) to explain non-attachment while living in gṛhastha-āśrama.

Significance: Teaches ‘living liberation’ (jīvanmukti): one may remain in social duties yet be inwardly unbound—an important ethic for household devotees of Śiva.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true knowledge rooted in Shiva-consciousness makes one inwardly unattached; duties may continue, but the realized person remains unstained and free from karmic bondage.

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

Linga worship trains the mind in steady remembrance of Shiva; through devotion and insight, one acts in the world without egoic grasping—like the lotus untouched by water.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) with a disciplined, non-possessive attitude to actions; offer all karma to Shiva as inner worship.