Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

त्रिपुरदीक्षाविधानम् — Tripura Dīkṣā: Prescriptive Procedure

Chapter on the Ordinance of Initiation

Devanagari script

मार्जनीं ध्रियमाणाश्च वस्त्रखंडविनिर्मिताम् । शनैः शनैश्चलन्तो हि जीवहिंसाभयाद्ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

mārjanīṃ dhriyamāṇāśca vastrakhaṃḍavinirmitām | śanaiḥ śanaiścalanto hi jīvahiṃsābhayāddhruvam

Translation

پھٹے کپڑوں کے ٹکڑوں سے بنی جھاڑو ہاتھ میں لیے، وہ جانداروں کو نقصان پہنچنے کے خوف سے یقیناً بہت آہستہ آہستہ چلتے تھے۔

Word by Word

• mārjanīm: a broom/brush
• mārjanīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārjanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• dhriyamāṇāḥ: being held/holding (in hand)
• dhriyamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शानच्-प्रत्यय (present passive participle) ‘ध्रियमाण’, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• vastra-khaṇḍa-vinirmitām: made from pieces of cloth
• vastra-khaṇḍa-vinirmitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-nirmita (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative) ‘वस्त्रखण्डेन विनिर्मिता’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of mārjanīm)

• śanaiḥ: slowly
• śanaiḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• śanaiḥ: very slowly
• śanaiḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

• calantaḥ: moving/walking
• calantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cal (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) ‘चलन्त्’, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• jīva-hiṃsā-bhayāt: from fear of harming living beings
• jīva-hiṃsā-bhayāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + hiṃsā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative) ‘जीवहिंसायाः भयम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable usage as adverb); निश्चयार्थक (certainly)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights ahiṃsā (non-harming) as a core dharmic discipline: spiritual life is not only mantra and worship, but also careful conduct that protects even subtle forms of life—an attitude that purifies the pashu (bound soul) and supports Shiva-bhakti.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in purity and compassion; reverence for Saguna Shiva expresses itself as reverence for life. Careful movement and avoidance of harm become an offering (sevā) aligned with Shiva’s grace-bestowing nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mindful walking and daily conduct as vrata-like discipline: move attentively, keep surroundings clean without harming creatures, and pair such ahiṃsā with steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an inner practice of compassion.