Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

सतीविरहानन्तरं शम्भोश्चरितम् / Śiva’s Conduct After Satī’s Separation

Devanagari script

तत्सर्वमपरं चापि शिवसच्चरितं परम् । वक्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मन्महानन्दकरं शुभम्

Transliteration

tatsarvamaparaṃ cāpi śivasaccaritaṃ param | vaktumarhasi me brahmanmahānandakaraṃ śubham

Translation

Hỡi Brahman, vượt lên trên tất cả những điều đó, ngài cũng nên kể cho con nghe về câu chuyện thiêng liêng, chân thực và tối cao của Shiva—điều mang lại điềm lành và niềm hạnh phúc lớn lao.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अपरम्: other/remaining
• अपरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

• शिवसच्चरितम्: Śiva’s true deeds/holy narrative
• शिवसच्चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-सत्-चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative): शिवस्य सत् चरितम् (Śiva’s true conduct/deeds)

• परम्: supreme/excellent
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वक्तुम्: to tell
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय; अर्थ: ‘to speak’

• अर्हसि: you are able/ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• महानन्दकरम्: bringing great joy
• महानन्दकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानन्द-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: महानन्दस्य करम् (causing great bliss)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Request for ‘śiva-sat-carita’ (true sacred narrative) as a means to mahānanda mirrors Kāśī’s identity as the kṣetra where Śiva grants liberating knowledge; hearing Śiva-kathā is treated as a direct upāya toward grace.

Significance: Śravaṇa of Śiva-kathā and remembrance of Viśvanātha are held to confer purification and readiness for liberating instruction (taraka-upadeśa).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman (venerable sage)

FAQs

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

It praises Śiva’s sat-carita (true sacred narrative) as inherently auspicious and capable of granting profound bliss, implying that devoted hearing (śravaṇa) of Śiva-kathā purifies the soul and turns it toward Pati, the supreme Lord.

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

By requesting Śiva’s “supreme narrative,” the verse points to Saguna Śiva—His compassionate deeds and manifest forms—through which devotees develop bhakti that naturally supports Linga-worship and steady contemplation of Śiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is śravaṇa (reverent listening) and kathā-sevā—hearing Śiva Purāṇa with devotion—ideally alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to internalize the auspiciousness of Śiva’s carita.