Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

समिच्छंतं च तत्प्राप्तिं पृच्छंतं तद्गतिं हृदा । कुजादिभ्यो नष्टधियमत्रपं शोकविह्वलम्

Transliteration

samicchaṃtaṃ ca tatprāptiṃ pṛcchaṃtaṃ tadgatiṃ hṛdā | kujādibhyo naṣṭadhiyamatrapaṃ śokavihvalam

Translation

وہ اسے پانے کی آرزو میں تڑپتا تھا اور دل سے اس کی راہ اور ٹھکانے کے بارے میں پوچھتا رہتا تھا۔ مگر کُج وغیرہ کے سامنے اس کی ثابت قدمی جاتی رہی—گویا بےحیا سا، غم سے بےقرار ہو گیا۔

Word by Word

• समिच्छन्तम्: desiring
• समिच्छन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√इष् (धातु) → समिच्छत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (desiring)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• प्राप्तिम्: attainment/obtaining
• प्राप्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पृच्छन्तम्: asking
• पृच्छन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृच्छत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (asking)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (that)

• गतिम्: course/way/state
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हृदा: with (his) heart
• हृदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/भाव (with the heart, inwardly)

• कुजादिभ्यः: from Mars and others
• कुजादिभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुज-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/Ablative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कुजः आदि यस्मात्/येभ्यः = from Mars and others)

• नष्टधियम्: one of lost understanding
• नष्टधियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट-धि (प्रातिपदिक); नष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (नष्टा धिः यस्य सः = one whose understanding is lost)

• अत्रपम्: shameless
• अत्रपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्रप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (shameless/unabashed)

• शोकविह्वलम्: distressed with grief
• शोकविह्वलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक-विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक); शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शोकेन विह्वलः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Satī-khaṇḍa account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga context; the verse intensifies the ‘bound-soul’ phenomenology—loss of composure, agitation, and compulsive inquiry—used as a didactic contrast to the Lord’s later stabilizing grace.

Significance: Ethical-spiritual lesson: even great ones appear shaken; devotees are encouraged to seek refuge (śaraṇāgati) rather than be swept away by śoka.

Characters & Entities

• Kuja

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how powerful worldly attachment and separation can be, shaking even a great being’s composure; Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as a prompt to seek steadiness in Pati (Shiva) rather than in transient relations, turning grief into inward remembrance and surrender.

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

In the Satī-khaṇḍa mood of loss and searching, Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—functions as a stabilizing support (ālambana) for the mind, directing emotional turbulence into concentrated devotion and remembrance of Shiva as the compassionate Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady grief through Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), wearing Rudrākṣa for mental calm, and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a daily reminder of impermanence and Shiva-centered awareness.