Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct

Prelude to Detailed Narrative

Devanagari script

तस्यैव लीलया सर्वोयमिति तत्त्वविभ्रमः । तत्र दोषो न कस्यापि सर्वव्यापी स प्रेरकः

Transliteration

tasyaiva līlayā sarvoyamiti tattvavibhramaḥ | tatra doṣo na kasyāpi sarvavyāpī sa prerakaḥ

Translation

借着祂的神圣游戏，产生了“这一切都是（独立的）现实”的幻觉。在那之中，没有任何个体有错，因为祂——无所不在的主——是万物的内在驱动者。

Word by Word

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive/षष्ठी (6), Singular/एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• līlayā: by (his) play
• līlayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental/तृतीया (3), Singular/एकवचन

• sarvaḥ: all (as a whole)
• sarvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyaparicchedaka (वाक्यपरिच्छेदक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• tattva-vibhramaḥ: confusion about reality/principle
• tattva-vibhramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: tattvasya vibhramaḥ

• tatra: therein, in that matter
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• doṣaḥ: fault
• doṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• kasya: of anyone (of whom?)
• kasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive/षष्ठी (6), Singular/एकवचन

• api: even, at all
• api: Avadhāraṇa/Anvaya (अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि = even/any)

• sarva-vyāpī: all-pervading
• sarva-vyāpī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; कर्मधारय: sarvaḥ vyāpī

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• prerakaḥ: impeller, instigator
• prerakaḥ: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; predicate noun

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Ishana

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the soul’s confusion about reality is sustained within Shiva’s cosmic līlā, and liberation comes by recognizing Shiva as the all-pervading Pati who inwardly guides all beings beyond delusion.

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

The Linga represents Shiva as the all-pervading, formless-ground made accessible through form; worship trains the mind to see one inner Preraka in all, dissolving the notion that the world and ego stand independently.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with inward contemplation of Shiva as the antaryāmin (inner impeller), supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as aids to steady remembrance.