Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सदा पूजनीयो लिंगमूर्तिधरी हरः । सेवनीयो विशेषेण श्रद्धया देवसत्तमः

Transliteration

tasmātsadā pūjanīyo liṃgamūrtidharī haraḥ | sevanīyo viśeṣeṇa śraddhayā devasattamaḥ

Translation

لہٰذا لِنگا کی صورت دھارن کرنے والے ہَر (شیو) ہمیشہ پوجنیہ ہیں؛ دیوتاؤں میں افضل اُس پرمیشور کی خاص عقیدت اور بھکتی سے خدمت کرنی چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• pūjanīyaḥ: worthy to be worshipped
• pūjanīyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate of haraḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pūj (धातु) → pūjanīya (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थक (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• liṃga-mūrti-dharī: bearer of the liṅga-form
• liṃga-mūrti-dharī: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of haraḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṃga + mūrti + dharin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘लिङ्गस्य मूर्तिं धरति’ (bearer of the liṅga-form)

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sevanīyaḥ: to be served
• sevanīyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate of devasattamaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sev (धातु) → sevanīya (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be served/attended), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Karana (करण/adverbial means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental used adverbially: especially)

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• deva-sattamaḥ: the best of the gods
• deva-sattamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + sat-tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘देवः सत्तमः’ (best among gods)

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-theology: Śiva is to be approached in liṅga-mūrti as the accessible, grace-bestowing form; worship is prescribed as the remedy to Māyā-distance.

Significance: Establishes liṅga-pūjā as the normative Śaiva upāya: constant worship with śraddhā draws the devotee from bondage toward Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse establishes that the Liṅga is a sacred, accessible manifestation of Pati (Śiva) for devotees, and that worship (pūjā) and devoted service (sevā) performed with śraddhā become a direct means for grace and upliftment.

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

By calling Śiva “liṅgamūrtidharī,” it affirms the Liṅga as a Saguna form through which the formless Lord is approached—so regular worship and attentive service to the Liṅga are presented as central Shaiva practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to nitya-liṅga-pūjā (daily Shiva Linga worship) and sevā with faith—such as offering water, bilva leaves, and mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) with a reverent, steady mind.