Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

काम-शक्र-संवादः / Dialogue of Kāma and Śakra

Indra

Devanagari script

सङ्कटे बहु यो ब्रूते स किं कार्य्यं करिष्यति । तथापि च महाराज कथयामि शृणु प्रभो

Transliteration

saṅkaṭe bahu yo brūte sa kiṃ kāryyaṃ kariṣyati | tathāpi ca mahārāja kathayāmi śṛṇu prabho

Translation

Kẻ nói dài dòng giữa lúc nguy nan thì làm được việc gì cho ra hồn? Dẫu vậy, hỡi Đại vương, ta sẽ trình bày; xin Ngài lắng nghe, bậc Chúa tể.

Word by Word

• सङ्कटे: in distress/difficulty
• सङ्कटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• बहु: much; many things
• बहु: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ब्रूते: speaks
• ब्रूते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (correlative pronoun)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्य्यम्: task; what is to be done
• कार्य्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथापि: even so; nevertheless
• तथापि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययसमुच्चय (concessive adverb)

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

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

A narrator/minister-like advisor addressing a king (within the Parvati Khanda narration, framed by Suta Goswami’s discourse).

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It teaches dharmic discernment: in crisis, mere talk is powerless; decisive, righteous action—supported by attentive listening (śravaṇa)—is what bears fruit on the spiritual path.

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

Saguna Shiva worship emphasizes practice over rhetoric—regular pūjā, mantra-japa, and disciplined conduct. The verse cautions against empty speech and points toward steady, actionable devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key takeaway is śravaṇa and niyama: listen carefully to scriptural instruction and convert it into practice—daily mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī), simple Linga worship, and restraint of speech in stressful moments.