Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

देवस्तुतिः—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्वं, मायाशक्तिः, कर्मफलप्रदातृत्वं च

Devas’ Hymn: Śiva as Parabrahman, Māyā-Śakti, and Giver of Karmic Fruits

Devanagari script

त्वयैव लोकेवसितास्सेतवो यान् धृतव्रताः । शुद्धान् श्रद्दधते विप्रा वेदमार्गविचक्षणाः

Transliteration

tvayaiva lokevasitāssetavo yān dhṛtavratāḥ | śuddhān śraddadhate viprā vedamārgavicakṣaṇāḥ

Translation

唯由汝一者，世间诸界限与神圣戒律得以安立；而持戒坚固、心地清净、善能辨识吠陀正道的婆罗门，亦以虔信依止这些清净的修持。

Word by Word

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन

• avasitāḥ: established
• avasitāḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√sā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle): 'fixed/established'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with 'setavaḥ'

• setavaḥ: boundaries/bridges (setus)
• setavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• yān: which
• yān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; relative pronoun referring to 'setavaḥ'

• dhṛta-vratāḥ: vow-observing
• dhṛta-vratāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: 'धृतं व्रतं येषां ते' = those who have undertaken vows; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of 'viprāḥ'

• śuddhān: pure (ones)
• śuddhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; object of 'śraddadhate' (trust/accept)

• śraddadhate: have faith in / trust
• śraddadhate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrad-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• viprāḥ: Brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• veda-mārga-vicakṣaṇāḥ: skilled in the Vedic path
• veda-mārga-vicakṣaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक) + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): 'वेदमार्गे विचक्षणाः' = skilled in the path of the Veda; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of 'viprāḥ'

Speaker

Satī (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as the ultimate source of dharma—He establishes the sacred limits (setu) that guide souls toward purity, right conduct, and liberation, aligning with the Shaiva view of Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who orders the path for bound beings (paśu).

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

By affirming that all pure disciplines and Vedic ways rest on Śiva’s ordinance, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through prescribed vows, reverence, and ritual order (often centered on the Śiva-liṅga) as a practical means to cultivate purity and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadfast vrata with śraddhā—keeping pure observances dedicated to Śiva (such as Mahāśivarātri fasting, liṅga-pūjā with clean conduct, and regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).