Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera

Devanagari script

न तत्कर्म च तद्वृत्तं किंचिद्वेत्ति स दीक्षितः । सर्वं केशांतकर्मास्य चक्रे वर्षेऽथ षोडशे

Transliteration

na tatkarma ca tadvṛttaṃ kiṃcidvetti sa dīkṣitaḥ | sarvaṃ keśāṃtakarmāsya cakre varṣe'tha ṣoḍaśe

Translation

那位受灌顶者对自己往昔的行为与旧日的生活轨迹一无所知。随后在他十六岁之年，为他举行了一切仪式，直至“结发礼”（keśānta-saṁskāra，剪发以示入青年之门）。

Word by Word

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

• tat-karma: that act/deed
• tat-karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (“his deed/that act”)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• tat-vṛttam: that conduct/story
• tat-vṛttam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (“his conduct/that account”)

• kiṃcit: anything
• kiṃcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcid (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite: “anything”)

• vetti: knows
• vetti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dīkṣitaḥ: the initiated one
• dīkṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular: “everything”)

• keśānta-karma: the keśānta ceremony
• keśānta-karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśānta (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थ-तत्पुरुष (“the keśānta rite”)

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive singular: “of him”)

• cakre: did/performed
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (3rd sg)

• varṣe: in the year (at age)
• varṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular: “in the year/at age”)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• ṣoḍaśe: sixteenth
• ṣoḍaśe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (locative singular agreeing with varṣe: “in the sixteenth”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the transformative power of dīkṣā: after initiation, one’s identity is reoriented toward Shiva, and the former karmic narrative is treated as irrelevant to the new, disciplined spiritual life.

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

In Shaiva practice, dīkṣā and saṁskāras prepare the devotee for ordered Saguna Shiva worship—such as Linga-pūjā—by establishing purity, discipline, and eligibility for mantra-based devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a life structured by saṁskāras and initiation; the practical takeaway is to follow authorized rites and a mantra-centered routine (japa and purity disciplines) after receiving Shaiva dīkṣā.