Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

मेना-शिवदर्शन-प्रस्थानम् | Menā’s Quest to Behold Śiva

Departure for Śiva’s Darśana

Devanagari script

शंखादिलक्षणैर्युक्तो मुकुटादिविभूषितः । श्रीवत्सवक्षा लक्ष्मीशो ह्यप्रमेय प्रभान्वितः

Transliteration

śaṃkhādilakṣaṇairyukto mukuṭādivibhūṣitaḥ | śrīvatsavakṣā lakṣmīśo hyaprameya prabhānvitaḥ

Translation

هو متّصفٌ بالعلامات المباركة كالصَّدَفة وغيرها، متوَّجٌ ومزيَّنٌ بحُليٍّ إلهيّة؛ وعلى صدره يلمعُ شِرِيفَتسا. هو ربُّ لاكشمي—لا يُقاس، وممتلئٌ بإشراقٍ لا حدَّ له.

Word by Word

• śaṅkha-ādi-lakṣaṇaiḥ: with marks such as the conch, etc.
• śaṅkha-ādi-lakṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); samāsa: śaṅkha-ādi (etc. conch etc.) + lakṣaṇa (marks)

• yuktaḥ: endowed, furnished
• yuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (प्रातिपदिक; from √yuj (धातु) as past participle)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; kṛdanta: bhūtakṛdanta (क्त) from √yuj (युज्) ‘to join’

• mukuṭa-ādi-vibhūṣitaḥ: adorned with a crown and other ornaments
• mukuṭa-ādi-vibhūṣitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukuṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + vibhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhūṣ (धातु))
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: mukuṭa-ādi (crown etc.) + vibhūṣita (adorned); kṛdanta: bhūtakṛdanta (क्त) from √bhūṣ (भूष्) ‘to adorn’ with vi-

• śrīvatsa-vakṣāḥ: having the Śrīvatsa on (his) chest
• śrīvatsa-vakṣāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: śrīvatsaḥ vakṣasi yasya saḥ (he who has the Śrīvatsa mark on his chest)

• lakṣmī-īśaḥ: Lord of Lakṣmī
• lakṣmī-īśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: lakṣmyāḥ īśaḥ (lord of Lakṣmī)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta/particle (emphatic/indeed)

• aprameyaḥ: immeasurable, beyond measure
• aprameyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-prameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; nañ-tatpurusha: na prameyaḥ (immeasurable, unknowable by measure)

• prabhā-anvitaḥ: endowed with splendor
• prabhā-anvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक; from √i (धातु) with anu-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: prabhayā anvitaḥ (endowed with radiance); kṛdanta: bhūtakṛdanta (क्त) from anu√i (अन्वि/अनु-इ) ‘to be accompanied’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how the Divine is recognized through auspicious signs and radiant presence—supporting Saguna contemplation as a doorway to grace, steadiness of mind, and devotion that matures toward liberation.

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

Like the Linga, which is a sacred focus for the formless Reality, these described marks and ornaments function as contemplative supports (ālambana) for Saguna worship—helping the devotee fix awareness on divinity and receive anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is dhyāna (visual meditation) on the Lord’s auspicious marks while softly repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), optionally wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra as reminders of Shiva-bhakti.