Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”

Devanagari script

यदा दुःखं भवेत्तत्र युवयोस्सुरसत्तमौ । पूजिते मम लिंगे च तदा स्याद्दुःखनाशनम्

Transliteration

yadā duḥkhaṃ bhavettatra yuvayossurasattamau | pūjite mama liṃge ca tadā syādduḥkhanāśanam

Translation

โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐยิ่งในหมู่เทวะทั้งสอง เมื่อใดก็ตามที่ความทุกข์เกิดแก่พวกท่าน หากได้บูชาลึงค์ของเรา การบูชานั้นเองย่อมเป็นผู้ทำลายความทุกข์

Word by Word

• yadā: when
• yadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction)

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृपदवत् (subject-like)

• bhavet: should arise / may occur
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tatra: there / in that case
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (locative adverb)

• yuvayoḥ: of you two
• yuvayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvam (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्द (pronoun); षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन

• sura-sattamau: O best of the gods (you two)
• sura-sattamau: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘surāṇāṃ sattamau’ = best among gods; पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), द्विवचन

• pūjite: when (it) is worshipped
• pūjite: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjita (कृदन्त; √pūj पूज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘(मम लिङ्गे) पूजिते’ = when (it) is worshipped

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्द; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• liṅge: in the liṅga
• liṅge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• duḥkha-nāśanam: removal of sorrow
• duḥkha-nāśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘duḥkhasya nāśanam’ = destruction of sorrow; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga episode; a doctrinal assurance that liṅga-pūjā functions as duḥkha-nāśana (remover of suffering) even for the highest devas.

Significance: Frames liṅga-worship as remedial and protective: sorrow is alleviated through Śiva’s prasāda, encouraging pilgrimage and regular temple worship as a means of śānti.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

Shiva declares that duḥkha is alleviated through devotion-centered worship of the Liṅga, indicating that divine grace (anugraha) operates through sincere pūjā and remembrance of Pati (Shiva).

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

The Liṅga is Saguna Shiva’s accessible form for worship; by honoring it with faith, the devotee connects with Shiva’s compassionate presence, and suffering is pacified through His grace and inner purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Liṅga-pūjā (water/flower offering, simple archana) and support it with japa such as the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a steady remedy for distress.