Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 65

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

सगुणानिर्गुणा प्राप्तिर्भवती सुनिश्चितम् । एवं च सर्वदेवानां प्रतिमा प्रत्ययावहा

Transliteration

saguṇānirguṇā prāptirbhavatī suniścitam | evaṃ ca sarvadevānāṃ pratimā pratyayāvahā

Translation

Thật chắc chắn rằng nhờ nương theo Saguṇa (hữu tướng, hữu thuộc tính) một cách đúng đắn, người ta sẽ đạt đến Nirguṇa (vô tướng, vô thuộc tính). Cũng theo cách ấy, thánh tượng của chư thiên trở thành nơi khơi dậy niềm tin vững chắc và sự chuyên nhất cho người sùng kính.

Word by Word

• saguṇā: with attributes (saguṇa)
• saguṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies prāptiḥ)

• nirguṇā: without attributes (nirguṇa)
• nirguṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies prāptiḥ)

• prāptiḥ: attainment
• prāptiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• bhavatī: is/occurs
• bhavatī: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘becomes/is’

• suniścitam: certain, assured
• suniścitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suniścita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as predicate adjective: ‘certainly/definitely’)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘thus’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• sarva-devānām: of all the gods
• sarva-devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (sarve devāḥ)

• pratimā: image, icon
• pratimā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• pratyaya-āvahā: bringing conviction/faith
• pratyaya-āvahā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थः: ‘pratyayaṃ āvahati’ (bringing conviction)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that worship of the manifest—Shiva approached through name, form, and attributes—steadies the mind and matures devotion, culminating in realization of the unmanifest, nirguṇa truth.

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

It supports the Shaiva principle that saguna worship (including the Śiva-liṅga) is a valid and powerful means: the icon becomes a pratyaya—an anchor of certainty—through which the devotee is led toward nirguṇa realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular, focused saguna upāsanā—such as liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—is implied as the practical method for gaining steadiness of faith and inward absorption.