Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 22

ब्राह्मणीमरणवर्णनम् (Account of the Brahmin Woman’s Death) — within Nandikeśvara-māhātmya

Devanagari script

कदाचित्क्रियमाणा सा विविधं पुण्यमाचरत् । न मृता दैवयोगेन द्विजपत्नी च सा द्विजाः

Transliteration

kadācitkriyamāṇā sā vividhaṃ puṇyamācarat | na mṛtā daivayogena dvijapatnī ca sā dvijāḥ

Translation

有一次，因缘流转之际，她修行种种功德与善行仪轨。由于命运的安排，她并未死去；那位婆罗门之妻仍然活着，噢诸婆罗门。

Word by Word

• kadācit: once/sometime
• kadācit: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācit (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• kriyamāṇā: being engaged in doing (acts)
• kriyamāṇā: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kriyamāṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ कृ धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; agrees with sā

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• vividham: various
• vividham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of puṇyam

• puṇyam: merit/pious act
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• ācarat: practised/performed
• ācarat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (ā-√car चर्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्) past/imperfect, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात) negation

• mṛtā: dead
• mṛtā: Kriyā-samānādhikaraṇa (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛta (प्रातिपदिक; from √mṛ मृ धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective of sā

• daiva-yogena: by divine dispensation
• daiva-yogena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daiva (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘daivasya yogaḥ’ = divine conjunction; instrumental of cause (हेतु-तृतीया)

• dvija-patnī: the Brahmin’s wife
• dvija-patnī: Karta (कर्ता) / apposition
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• dvijāḥ: O Brahmins
• dvijāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (8th/सम्बोधन), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the interplay of personal effort (puṇya through dharmic acts) and daiva (destiny), implying that life is preserved for a higher spiritual unfolding—often to bring the soul toward Shiva’s grace and right worship.

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

In Kotirudra contexts, continued life by “daiva-yoga” commonly serves the narrative purpose of enabling pilgrimage, vows, and eventual approach to Shiva’s saguna form—especially through Jyotirlinga darśana and prescribed observances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct takeaway is to persist in “vividhaṃ puṇyam”—vows, charity, purity, and Shiva-oriented worship; practically this aligns with regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined vrata conduct when undertaken.