Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

सतीसंक्षेपचरित्रवर्णनम् — Summary Description of Satī’s Narrative

Devanagari script

स योगी सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरसे व्यस्सतां गतिः । निर्द्वंद्वः क्रीडति सदा निर्विकारी महाप्रभुः

Transliteration

sa yogī sarvaviṣṇvādisurase vyassatāṃ gatiḥ | nirdvaṃdvaḥ krīḍati sadā nirvikārī mahāprabhuḥ

Translation

那至上主宰乃真实的瑜伽行者，为诸天所奉事，始于毗湿奴等。凡沉缠世务、心神散乱者，彼为归依与究竟之所至。常离二相，大自在的摩诃主在自性自由中游戏，恒常不变，不为变异所触。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• योगी: yogī
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरसे: among/by all gods beginning with Viṣṇu (textually uncertain)
• सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरसे: (Unclear due to textual form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-विष्णु-आदि-सुर-से (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘सर्वविष्ण्वादि-सुर’ + ‘से’ (सम्बोधन/सप्तमी-रूप सम्भाव्य). पाठभेद/रूपदोष सम्भवः; अपेक्षितः ‘सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरैः’ (तृतीया बहुवचन) वा ‘सर्वविष्ण्वादिसुरेषु’ (सप्तमी बहुवचन).

• व्यस्सताम्: of the distracted/confused (textually uncertain)
• व्यस्सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अस्/√स्था? )
• Form: पाठदोष सम्भाव्य: ‘व्यस्तानाम्/व्यस्तताम्’ इत्यादि अपेक्षितम्. वर्तमानरूपे षष्ठी बहुवचन-आभास (genitive plural-like)

• गतिः: refuge/goal
• गतिः: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• निर्द्वन्द्वः: free from dualities
• निर्द्वन्द्वः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपसर्ग ‘निर्’ + द्वन्द्व

• क्रीडति: plays/sports
• क्रीडति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नित्यत्ववाचक (adverb: always)

• निर्विकारी: unchanging
• निर्विकारी: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘without change’

• महाप्रभुः: the great Lord
• महाप्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As ‘gatiḥ’ (final refuge) of all beings and ‘served by Viṣṇu and the gods’, the verse aligns with Kāśī’s theology where Viśvanātha is the universal Lord granting liberation; Kāśī is famed as the place where Śiva bestows tāraka-upadeśa.

Significance: Darśana/śravaṇa of Viśvanātha is traditionally held to confer mokṣa-pravṛtti; the verse’s ‘gatiḥ’ supports the idea of Śiva as the ultimate destination beyond worldly vyastatā.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Devas

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who is untouched by change and duality, yet compassionately becomes the refuge and goal for beings lost in worldly distraction—pointing to liberation through turning to Him.

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

Though Śiva is described as nirvikārī (unchanging) and nirdvandva (beyond opposites), devotees approach Him through Saguna worship such as the Śiva-liṅga, which stabilizes the mind and leads it toward realizing His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner Yogī beyond dualities while performing steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); this counters vyastatā (mental scattering) and orients the seeker toward gati (the final refuge).