Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

दारिद्र्यं रोगदुःखं च पीडनं शत्रुसंभवम् । पापं चतुर्विधं तावद्यावन्नार्चयते शिवम्

Transliteration

dāridryaṃ rogaduḥkhaṃ ca pīḍanaṃ śatrusaṃbhavam | pāpaṃ caturvidhaṃ tāvadyāvannārcayate śivam

Translation

贫穷、疾病之苦、种种压迫，以及由仇敌而起的患难——这四种罪相，唯有在不敬拜湿婆主之时才会持续。

Word by Word

• दारिद्र्यम्: poverty
• दारिद्र्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-निर्देश (list item)

• रोग-दुःखम्: disease and suffering
• रोग-दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (रोगश्च दुःखं च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction), अव्यय

• पीडनम्: affliction, torment
• पीडनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडन (प्रातिपदिक; √पीड् (धातु) ल्युट्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• शत्रु-संभवम्: arising from enemies / enmity-born
• शत्रु-संभवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक; √भू (धातु) उपसर्ग सम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शत्रोः संभवः)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• चतुर्विधम्: fourfold
• चतुर्विधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु/संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (चतुर्णां विधः)

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-नपुंसक)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक अव्यय (correlative: 'so long')

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-नपुंसक)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक अव्यय (relative: 'as long as')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle), अव्यय

• अर्चयते: worships
• अर्चयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating the teaching of the Rudra Saṃhitā to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes the general Purāṇic principle that neglect of Śiva-arcana leaves the paśu exposed to duḥkha and pāpa; worship is presented as the remedial means.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse frames worldly suffering (poverty, disease, affliction, and enemy-born troubles) as karmic pāpa that continues until Śiva-arcana begins; in a Shaiva Siddhanta sense, worship opens the devotee to Śiva’s anugraha (grace), which burns karmic bonds and redirects life toward dharma and liberation.

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

Śiva is approached here as Saguna—worshipable through pūjā and especially the Śiva-liṅga—because liṅga-arcana is the accessible form of devotion that purifies pāpa and pacifies obstacles, gradually leading the devotee toward realization of Śiva’s higher, nirguṇa nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā (liṅga-arcana) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” ideally with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports for purity and steadiness, making devotion the daily antidote to these four afflictions.