Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 45

दीक्षितपुत्रस्य दैन्यचिन्ता तथा शिवरात्र्युपासनाप्रसङ्गः / The Initiate’s Son in Distress and the Occasion of Śivarātri Worship

Devanagari script

उद्धूलनकरा ये हि विभूत्या सितया गणाः । ते सर्वे परिहर्तव्या नानेतव्याः कदाचन

Transliteration

uddhūlanakarā ye hi vibhūtyā sitayā gaṇāḥ | te sarve parihartavyā nānetavyāḥ kadācana

Translation

เหล่าคณะ (คณะผู้ติดตาม) ที่ทำอุทธูลนะ คือปัด/ทาถูร่างกายด้วยวิภูติสีขาว ทั้งหมดพึงหลีกเลี่ยง ไม่ควรนำมาคบหาในกาลใดๆ

Word by Word

• उद्धूलनकराः: those having hands for smearing/throwing (ashes)
• उद्धूलनकराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्धूलन-कर (प्रातिपदिक; उद्धूलन + कर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उद्धूलनस्य कराः)

• ये: who/which (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• विभूत्या: with sacred ash
• विभूत्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सितया: white
• सितया: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying विभूत्या)

• गणाः: groups/people
• गणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ते)

• परिहर्तव्याः: are to be avoided/removed
• परिहर्तव्याः: Vidheya (विधेय/Predicate; कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-हृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), तव्यत्-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate) — ‘to be avoided/removed’

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• आनेतव्याः: are to be brought (here: should not be brought)
• आनेतव्याः: Vidheya (विधेय/Predicate; कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), तव्यत्-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय — ‘to be brought’ (negated by न)

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment (viveka) in Śaiva practice: external marks like vibhūti must be joined with right conduct and devotion to Śiva; association with those who misuse sacred observances is to be avoided for protecting one’s sādhana.

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

In Liṅga/Saguṇa-Śiva worship, vibhūti is a sacred sign of Śiva’s grace and renunciation; the verse warns that mere outward ash-smearing without proper Śaiva discipline can become hypocrisy, so the devotee should keep pure association while honoring the Liṅga with authentic devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain purity of saṅga (company) while observing Śaiva marks like vibhūti/Tripuṇḍra; treat bhasma as sacred and combine it with mantra-japa (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī) and ethical restraint rather than mere outward display.