Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

त्रिपुरदीक्षाविधानम् — Tripura Dīkṣā: Prescriptive Procedure

Chapter on the Ordinance of Initiation

Devanagari script

कार्यास्ते दीक्षिता नूनं पाठनीयाः प्रयत्नतः । मदाज्ञया न दोषस्ते भविष्यति महामते

Transliteration

kāryāste dīkṣitā nūnaṃ pāṭhanīyāḥ prayatnataḥ | madājñayā na doṣaste bhaviṣyati mahāmate

Translation

“诚然，哦大智者，凡已如法受灌顶（dīkṣā）者，当以勤恳之心诵持此教。依我之命，你必不生过失与罪咎。”

Word by Word

• कार्याः: to be done
• कार्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be done’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ते: they / those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दीक्षिताः: initiated
• दीक्षिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक्ष्/दीक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle of certainty)

• पाठनीयाः: to be recited
• पाठनीयाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be recited/read’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘प्रयत्नतः’ = प्रयत्नेन/प्रयत्नात्

• मत्-आज्ञया: by my command
• मत्-आज्ञया: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-सम्बद्ध) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मम आज्ञया’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: to you / your
• ते: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मतिः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन) विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes adhikāra (spiritual eligibility): sacred recitation is most fruitful when grounded in dīkṣā and performed with disciplined effort, while Shiva’s grace safeguards the practitioner from doṣa.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, practice is guided by Shiva’s injunctions transmitted through dīkṣā and lineage; recitation and study become acts of obedient devotion (bhakti) offered to Shiva, the Lord of the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to diligent pāṭha (recitation/study) after dīkṣā—such as mantra-japa (including the Panchākṣarī, if given in initiation) performed with regularity and reverence under Shiva’s/teacher’s authorization.