Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

नारद–हिमालयसंवादवर्णनम्

Nārada and Himālaya: Discourse on Pārvatī’s Signs and Destiny

Devanagari script

निर्गुणं सगुणं तच्च निर्विशेषं निरीहकम् । अतः पश्यति सर्वत्र न तु बाह्यं निरीक्षते

Transliteration

nirguṇaṃ saguṇaṃ tacca nirviśeṣaṃ nirīhakam | ataḥ paśyati sarvatra na tu bāhyaṃ nirīkṣate

Translation

那真实（湿婆）既无相德亦具相德；既无差别亦无作为。因此，真正的知者于一切处见祂，不再向外寻觅，把祂当作外在之物。

Word by Word

• nirguṇam: without qualities
• nirguṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa (adjectival)

• saguṇam: with qualities
• saguṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa

• tat: that (reality)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात) conjunction

• nirviśeṣam: without distinction
• nirviśeṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirviśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• nirīhakam: without effort/without activity
• nirīhakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirīhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Hetu-avyaya (हेतु-अव्यय) adverb: 'therefore/from that'

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देश-अव्यय) adverb: 'everywhere'

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

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/viśeṣa-nipāta (अवधारण/विशेष-निपात) 'but/indeed'

• bāhyam: external (thing)
• bāhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣya-rūpeṇa (as object)

• nirīkṣate: looks at/observes
• nirīkṣate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-īkṣ (नि-ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; ātmanepada

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching within the Parvati Khanda context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is simultaneously transcendent (nirguṇa, nirviśeṣa) and immanent (saguṇa). When devotion and knowledge mature, the seeker recognizes Śiva as the indwelling Lord everywhere rather than as a merely external object.

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

Linga worship supports concentration on Saguna Śiva, purifying the mind. That purified awareness then matures into the insight that the same Śiva is nirguṇa and present in all beings and places—so the Linga becomes a doorway to all-pervading Śiva-darśana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice inward-facing meditation with Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and steady contemplation that Śiva is the inner Self; let external worship (Linga, bhasma, rudrākṣa) culminate in continuous inner remembrance rather than outward searching.