Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 73

पार्वत्याः यात्रासंस्कारः तथा पातिव्रत्योपदेशः / Preparations for Girijā’s Auspicious Journey and the Teaching on Pātivratya

Devanagari script

उत्तमा मध्यमा चैव निकृष्टातिनिकृष्टिका । ब्रुवे तासां लक्षणानि सावधानतया शृणु

Transliteration

uttamā madhyamā caiva nikṛṣṭātinikṛṣṭikā | bruve tāsāṃ lakṣaṇāni sāvadhānatayā śṛṇu

Translation

“(Sila ay) ang pinakamainam, ang panggitna, ang mababa, at ang lubhang mababa. Ilalarawan ko ang kanilang mga palatandaan—makinig nang may maingat na pagtuon.”

Word by Word

• उत्तमा: the best (type)
• उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स्त्री-जातिवाचकः)

• मध्यमा: the middling (type)
• मध्यमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

• निकृष्टा-अति-निकृष्टिका: the inferior and the very inferior (type)
• निकृष्टा-अति-निकृष्टिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकृष्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + निकृष्टिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (अति-निकृष्टिका = अत्यन्त-निकृष्टिका) तथा समुच्चयः (निकृष्टा च अतिनिकृष्टिका च)

• ब्रुवे: I tell/declare
• ब्रुवे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लक्षणानि: characteristics
• लक्षणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सावधानतया: with attentiveness
• सावधानतया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावधानता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे ‘with attentiveness’

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It introduces a Shaiva framework for discerning spiritual maturity—Shiva signals that seekers differ in quality, and that liberation-oriented instruction must be received with attentive śravaṇa (careful listening) and discrimination.

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

By classifying devotees/approaches, the verse sets up how Saguna Shiva worship (such as Linga-upāsanā with devotion and discipline) bears different fruits depending on the devotee’s inner qualities like steadiness, purity, and attentiveness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice implied is sāvadhāna-śravaṇa—focused listening to Shiva’s teaching—supporting mantra-japa (e.g., Panchakshara) and disciplined observances by ensuring the mind is collected and receptive.