Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

सत्यप्रतिज्ञा-तपःसंवादः

Pārvatī’s Vow of Truth and the Dialogue on Her Tapas

Devanagari script

इन्द्रादिलोकपालांश्च हित्वा शिवमनु व्रता । नैतत्सूक्तं हि लोकेषु विरुद्धं दृश्यतेऽधुना

Transliteration

indrādilokapālāṃśca hitvā śivamanu vratā | naitatsūktaṃ hi lokeṣu viruddhaṃ dṛśyate'dhunā

Translation

即便舍弃因陀罗等诸世界守护者，持戒守誓、归依湿婆者，唯与湿婆相应而住。诚然，此教诲于诸世间至今未见有任何相违之处。

Word by Word

• इन्द्रादि-लोकपालान्: the world-guardians beginning with Indra
• इन्द्रादि-लोकपालान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि + लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—इन्द्रादयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश) + लोकपालाः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having abandoned’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनु: following/according to
• अनु: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preverb/adverb) अर्थः—‘अनुसरणे’ (following)

• व्रताः: (those) under vows
• व्रताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे बहुधा नपुंसक), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्तरि—‘व्रतधारिणः’ (vowed ones)

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

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘this’

• सूक्तम्: statement/utterance
• सूक्तम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• लोकेषु: in the worlds/among people
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• विरुद्धम्: contradictory/opposed
• विरुद्धम्: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘is seen/appears’

• अधुना: now/at present
• अधुना: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Śiva Purāṇa teaching to the sages, within the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms ekānta-bhakti (exclusive alignment to Śiva) as universally non-contradictory: the highest refuge beyond even lokapālas. Pilgrimage implication: all tirthas culminate in Śiva-sevā and Śiva-śaraṇāgati.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Lokapalas

FAQs

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

It affirms that the highest refuge is Pati—Śiva—above all worldly authorities (even Indra and the Lokapālas). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the bound soul (paśu) loosens dependence on external powers and turns to Śiva’s grace as the true means to liberation.

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

Exclusive allegiance to Śiva is practically expressed through Saguna worship—especially Śiva-liṅga pūjā—where the devotee offers body, speech, and mind to Śiva alone, seeing other deities as subordinate cosmic functions rather than the final liberator.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Undertake a Śiva-vrata with steady daily liṅga-arcana, pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and a disciplined vow of single-pointed devotion—supported by simple purity observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where appropriate.