Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

विज्ञानं न भवत्येव द्विजा भक्तिविरोधिनः । शंभुभक्तिकरस्यैव भवेज्ज्ञानोदयो द्रुतम्

Transliteration

vijñānaṃ na bhavatyeva dvijā bhaktivirodhinaḥ | śaṃbhubhaktikarasyaiva bhavejjñānodayo drutam

Translation

噢，二生者啊，凡违逆奉爱者，真实的灵性证悟终不生起；唯有修持对商婆（Śambhu）之奉爱者，解脱之智的曙光迅疾显现。

Word by Word

• विज्ञानम्: true knowledge
• विज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भवति: arises/exists
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhyāḥ/Āmantrita (सम्बोध्य/आमन्त्रित)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भक्तिविरोधिनः: opposed to devotion
• भक्तिविरोधिनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति + विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भक्तेः विरोधिनः = opposed to devotion)

• शम्भु-भक्ति-करस्य: of one who produces devotion to Śambhu
• शम्भु-भक्ति-करस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शम्भोः भक्तिः + करः = devotion-to-Śambhu producing/doing)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भवेत्: would arise/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ज्ञान-उदयः: the rise of knowledge
• ज्ञान-उदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य उदयः = rise of knowledge)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb of manner/time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Śambhu)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that liberating knowledge (vijñāna/jñāna-udaya) is not gained through opposition to devotion; in Shaiva Siddhanta, grace arises through Śiva-bhakti, and that devotion ripens into true realization and liberation.

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

It supports Saguna worship—devotion to Śambhu through forms like the Liṅga, mantra, and pūjā—showing that heartfelt bhakti is the practical doorway through which higher knowledge dawns.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate Śiva-bhakti through daily Liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and traditional Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, as devotion is said to hasten the rise of true knowledge.