Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body

Devanagari script

शस्त्रैरघ्नन्निजांगानि केचित्तत्र शुचाकुलाः । शिरोमुखानि देवर्षे सुतीक्ष्णैः प्राणनाशिभिः

Transliteration

śastrairaghnannijāṃgāni kecittatra śucākulāḥ | śiromukhāni devarṣe sutīkṣṇaiḥ prāṇanāśibhiḥ

Translation

噢，神圣的仙人，在那里，由于悲痛欲绝，有些人用武器击打自己的肢体；他们甚至用极其锋利、夺人性命的刀刃刺伤了自己的头部和脸部。

Word by Word

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अघ्नन्: struck / killed
• अघ्नन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• निजाङ्गानि: their own limbs
• निजाङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (निजानि अङ्गानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• केचित्: some (of them)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शुचाकुलाः: distressed with grief
• शुचाकुलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचा + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (शुचा आकुलाः = शोक/दुःखेन आकुलाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of केचित्)

• शिरोमुखानि: heads and faces
• शिरोमुखानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (शिरांसि च मुखानि च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• देवर्षे: O divine sage
• देवर्षे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (देवानां ऋषिः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सुतीक्ष्णैः: with very sharp (ones)
• सुतीक्ष्णैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of प्राणनाशिभिः/शस्त्रैः understood)

• प्राणनाशिभिः: with life-destroying (weapons)
• प्राणनाशिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण + नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (प्राणान् नाशयन्ति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (instrumental)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

FAQs

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

It depicts how intense sorrow can bind beings (pāśa) into tamasic despair; Shaiva Siddhanta emphasizes returning to Shiva (Pati) through devotion and inner steadiness rather than being conquered by grief.

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

In moments of collective anguish, the Purana’s implied remedy is taking refuge in Saguna Shiva through worship—especially Linga-upāsanā and remembrance—so the mind turns from self-destruction to surrender and purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Replace agitation with Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and stabilize the mind with simple worship such as offering water to the Linga; this redirects grief into bhakti and restraint.