Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 37

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

एकोपि न विकारो हि शिवस्य परमात्मनः । संदर्शयति लोकेभ्यः कृत्वा तां तादृशीं गतिम्

Transliteration

ekopi na vikāro hi śivasya paramātmanaḥ | saṃdarśayati lokebhyaḥ kṛtvā tāṃ tādṛśīṃ gatim

Translation

诚然，至上自性之湿婆并无丝毫变异生起；然而祂随缘示现相应之境，使诸世界得以见之，以令众生明了。

Word by Word

• ekaḥ: even one / a single
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• vikāraḥ: change; modification
• vikāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्रायः) ‘परमः आत्मा’

• saṃdarśayati: shows; makes (it) seen
• saṃdarśayati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• lokebhyaḥ: from/for the worlds; to the people
• lokebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done/made’

• tām: that (her/that)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम, विशेषण

• tādṛśīm: such; of that kind
• tādṛśīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tādṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• gatim: state; course; condition
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Clarifies the Siddhāntic distinction between Śiva’s nirvikāratva (unchanging transcendence) and His gracious self-manifestation for the world’s comprehension—supporting temple/arcā as a didactic revelation.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches Śiva’s nirvikāratva (absolute changelessness): the Supreme Lord is untouched by transformation, yet compassionately manifests relatable states and events so bound souls can learn dharma, devotion, and the path to liberation.

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

The Liṅga and other saguna manifestations are not changes in Śiva’s essence; they are gracious self-disclosures (anugraha) through which devotees can approach the nirguṇa, transcendent Pati via worship, mantra, and contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as nirvikāra while worshipping His manifest form—especially through Pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and Liṅga-pūjā—seeing the form as a doorway to the formless reality.