Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 19

Mukti-bheda-nirūpaṇa (Classification of Liberation) and Śiva as the Sole Bestower of Mokṣa

Devanagari script

ज्ञानमाता शंभुभक्तिर्मुक्तिभुक्तिप्रदा सदा । सुलभा यत्प्रसादाद्धि सत्प्रेमांकुर लक्षणा

Transliteration

jñānamātā śaṃbhubhaktirmuktibhuktipradā sadā | sulabhā yatprasādāddhi satpremāṃkura lakṣaṇā

Translation

Bhakti đối với Śambhu chính là mẹ của chân tri; nó luôn ban cả phúc lạc thế gian lẫn giải thoát. Nhờ ân sủng của Ngài, bhakti trở nên dễ đạt, và được nhận biết qua mầm yêu thương chân thật đối với Śiva nảy nở trong tim.

Word by Word

• jñāna-mātā: mother of knowledge
• jñāna-mātā: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate-noun (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘jñānasya mātā’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaṃbhu-bhaktiḥ: devotion to Śambhu
• śaṃbhu-bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘śaṃbhoḥ bhaktiḥ’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mukti-bhukti-pradā: granting liberation and enjoyment
• mukti-bhukti-pradā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of śaṃbhu-bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhukti (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-based compound (द्वन्द्व) ‘muktiṃ ca bhuktiṃ ca pradāti’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sulabhā: easily attainable
• sulabhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘su + labhā’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat-prasādāt: from whose grace
• yat-prasādāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘yasya prasādāt’; Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); prasāda is Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indeed/for

• sat-prema-aṃkura-lakṣaṇā: characterized by the sprout of true love
• sat-prema-aṃkura-lakṣaṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + prema (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃkura (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘satprema-aṃkuraḥ lakṣaṇaṃ yasyāḥ’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-bhakti is not merely emotion but the source of jñāna; by Śiva’s grace it matures into pure love, and from that devotion arise both bhukti (rightly ordered worldly well-being) and mukti (release from bondage).

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

In the Shiva Purana, accessible Saguna worship—especially of the Śiva-liṅga and Jyotirliṅgas—becomes “sulabhā” through Śiva’s prasāda; such concrete worship nurtures the inner sprout of true love that culminates in liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate Śiva-bhakti through steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), liṅga-pūjā with reverence, and daily remembrance seeking Śiva’s prasāda—watching for the inner sign of growing, selfless love.