Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

यद्भक्तियुक्ताः पुरुषास्तु नित्यं दारिद्र्यमोहात्ययसंभवादीन् । न प्राप्नुवंत्येव हि भक्तवत्सलां सदैव मूलप्रकृतिं नताः स्म ताम्

Transliteration

yadbhaktiyuktāḥ puruṣāstu nityaṃ dāridryamohātyayasaṃbhavādīn | na prāpnuvaṃtyeva hi bhaktavatsalāṃ sadaiva mūlaprakṛtiṃ natāḥ sma tām

Translation

凡恒常以虔敬归依于他的人，绝不陷入贫困、迷妄及由世间缠缚所生的诸般苦患。因为他们常顶礼那原初的根本自性——永远怜爱信众者——故得护持，远离此等忧苦。

Word by Word

• यत्-भक्ति-युक्ताः: endowed with devotion to whom
• यत्-भक्ति-युक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘युक्त’; ‘devoted with/connected to whose devotion’ (relative)

• पुरुषाः: people
• पुरुषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• दारिद्र्य-मोह-अत्यय-सम्भव-आदीन्: poverty, delusion, calamity, misfortune, etc.
• दारिद्र्य-मोह-अत्यय-सम्भव-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + अत्यय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व with ‘आदि’ (and the like)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: attain/meet (come upon)
• प्राप्नुवन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: reason/emphasis)

• भक्त-वत्सलाम्: affectionate to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the goddess)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• मूल-प्रकृतिम्: the root Prakṛti
• मूल-प्रकृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नताः: bowed down
• नताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त

• स्म: indeed/then
• स्म: Discourse particle (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that steadfast bhakti (devotion) brings freedom from dāridrya (spiritual and material lack) and moha (delusion). In Shaiva understanding, devotion aligns the soul with Shiva’s grace, weakening the bonds (pāśa) that generate suffering.

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

Constant devotion is typically embodied through Saguna worship—especially Linga-pūjā—where the devotee repeatedly surrenders mind and actions to Shiva. Such regular worship becomes the practical means by which delusion and misfortune born of bondage are transcended.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is nitya-bhakti: daily Shiva remembrance and worship—such as japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), simple Linga-archana with water, and maintaining a surrendered attitude (namana) throughout the day.