Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

सा भक्तिर्विविधा ज्ञेया सगुणा निर्गुणा द्विजाः । वैधी स्वाभाविकी याया वरा सासा स्मृता परा

Transliteration

sā bhaktirvividhā jñeyā saguṇā nirguṇā dvijāḥ | vaidhī svābhāvikī yāyā varā sāsā smṛtā parā

Translation

Hỡi các bậc nhị sinh, hãy biết bhakti có nhiều loại—cả hữu tướng (saguṇa) lẫn vô tướng (nirguṇa). Dù là bhakti theo nghi quỹ (vaidhī) hay bhakti tự nhiên tự phát (svābhāvikī), hình thức nào thù thắng hơn—chính đó được ghi nhớ là bhakti tối thượng.

Word by Word

• sā: that (she/it)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vividhā: of various kinds
• vividhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñeyā: to be known
• jñeyā: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/Passive potential participle (तव्यत्/णीयत्-अर्थे), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• saguṇā: with attributes (saguṇa)
• saguṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘guṇaiḥ saha’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirguṇā: without attributes (nirguṇa)
• nirguṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘guṇarahitā’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvijāḥ: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• dvijāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vaidhī: scripturally enjoined
• vaidhī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ (type-name)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaidhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• svābhāvikī: natural/spontaneous
• svābhāvikī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of bhaktiḥ (type-name)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svābhāvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (कर्ता) (relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayā: by this/thereby
• ayā: Karaṇa (करण) / Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन) (used for emphasis/‘by this’)

• varā: excellent
• varā: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sā: that
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sā: that
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• smṛtā: is called/remembered as
• smṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (nominal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively ‘is called’

• parā: supreme
• parā: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण) of bhaktiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhakti has multiple legitimate modes—Saguna (devotion to Shiva with form and qualities) and Nirguna (contemplation of Shiva beyond attributes). The verse affirms that the “supreme” bhakti is whichever most effectively elevates the devotee toward Shiva-realization and liberation.

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

Linga worship is a classical Saguna support for devotion—approaching Shiva through sacred form, mantra, and ritual. This verse validates such vaidhī (scripture-guided) worship while also acknowledging higher inward absorption that may mature into Nirguna contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to vaidhī bhakti such as daily Shiva-puja, japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and disciplined observances; and to svābhāvikī bhakti such as steady remembrance and inward meditation on Shiva that becomes natural and continuous.