Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

त्रिपुरमोहनम्

Tripuramohana — “The Delusion/Enchanting of Tripura”

Devanagari script

अस्वास्थ्येन्द्रियवैकल्ये वार्द्धके तु कुतस्सुखम् । शरीरमपि दातव्यमर्थिभ्योऽतस्सुखेप्सुभिः

Transliteration

asvāsthyendriyavaikalye vārddhake tu kutassukham | śarīramapi dātavyamarthibhyo'tassukhepsubhiḥ

Translation

当身染病患、诸根衰弱、又逢老迈之时，幸福从何而得？故真求长久安乐者，当以服务困乏之人，甚至不惜奉献自身之躯。

Word by Word

• अस्वास्थ्ये: in ill-health
• अस्वास्थ्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-स्वास्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• इन्द्रियवैकल्ये: in impairment of the senses
• इन्द्रियवैकल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय-वैकल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः इन्द्रियाणां वैकल्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वार्द्धके: in old age
• वार्द्धके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• कुतः: how (could there be)?
• कुतः: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: ‘whence/how’)

• सुखम्: happiness, comfort
• सुखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अर्थः ‘देयम्/should be given’

• अर्थिभ्यः: to the supplicants, to those in need
• अर्थिभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ अव्यय (adverb: ‘therefore/from this’)

• सुखेप्सुभिः: by those desiring happiness
• सुखेप्सुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख-ईप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः सुखम् ईप्सवः (कर्मधारय/उपपद-तत्पुरुष भावः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga-sthala passage; the verse functions as a dharma-upadeśa on impermanence and compassionate giving as preparation for Śiva-bhakti.

Significance: Frames dāna/sevā as purificatory conduct (caryā) supporting later worship and grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches vairagya (dispassion) and dharma: bodily pleasure is unstable due to sickness, sensory decline, and age, so one should convert life into selfless giving—an attitude that purifies the soul (paśu) and loosens bondage (pāśa) on the path to Shiva (Pati).

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to seek the eternal Shiva rather than temporary bodily comfort; this verse supports that orientation by urging sacrifice and service, offering one’s embodied life as an act of devotion to Saguna Shiva while aiming toward His timeless reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dāna and seva as a daily vow alongside Shiva-upasana—offer time and effort to the needy, and support it with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to keep the mind anchored in renunciation and compassion.