Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

इत्थं तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य यामानां शिवकिंकराः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्भोजं प्रोचुः पारिषदास्तु तान्

Transliteration

itthaṃ tadvākyamākarṇya yāmānāṃ śivakiṃkarāḥ | smṛtvā śivapadāmbhojaṃ procuḥ pāriṣadāstu tān

Translation

یوں وہ بات سن کر یاموں کے نگہبان شیو کے کِنکر، بھگوان شیو کے قدموں کے کنول کا دھیان کر کے، سامنے موجود اُن پارشدوں سے بولے۔

Word by Word

• ittham: thus/in this manner
• ittham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• tat-vākyam: that statement
• tat-vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) + vākya (वाक्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘that speech’

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-karṇ (आ+कर्ण् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having heard/listened’

• yāmānām: of the guards/warders (yāmas)
• yāmānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāma (याम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• śiva-kiṃkarāḥ: Śiva’s attendants
• śiva-kiṃkarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव प्रातिपदिक) + kiṃkara (किंकर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य किंकराः)

• smṛtvā: having remembered
• smṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (स्मृ धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having remembered’

• śiva-pada-ambhojam: Śiva’s lotus-feet
• śiva-pada-ambhojam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव) + pada (पद प्रातिपदिक) + ambhoja (अम्भोज प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पदम् = ambhojam इव/शिवपदम्-अम्भोजम्)

• procuḥ: said
• procuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vac (प्र+वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• pāriṣadāḥ: the council/retinue members
• pāriṣadāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to śivakiṃkarāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāriṣada (पारिषद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (अवधारण/विरोध)

• tān: to them/those (persons)
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; the verse frames Śiva’s gaṇas (servitors) acting under remembrance of Śiva’s lotus-feet, a classic Purāṇic marker of Śiva’s lordship and grace-bestowal.

Significance: Smaraṇa of Śiva’s pādāmbuja is presented as the immediate spiritual refuge that empowers right speech and right action.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): even powerful divine functionaries first recollect Śiva’s lotus-feet, showing that Pati (Śiva) is the ultimate authority and the true support behind all cosmic administration.

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet is a Saguna mode of devotion—fixing the mind on Śiva’s compassionate form and lordship. In Shaiva practice, such remembrance naturally supports Linga-worship as the tangible focus for reverence and inner steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is pāda-smaraṇa (remembrance of Śiva’s feet) alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—before speaking or acting, aligning one’s will with Śiva’s dharma.