Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

नारदप्रश्नवर्णन (Nāradapraśna-varṇana) — “Account of Nārada’s Inquiry”

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा विष्णुर्महेशश्च त्रयो देवाश्शिवांशजाः । महेशस्तत्र पूर्णांशस्स्वयमेव शिवः परः

Transliteration

brahmā viṣṇurmaheśaśca trayo devāśśivāṃśajāḥ | maheśastatra pūrṇāṃśassvayameva śivaḥ paraḥ

Translation

براهما وفيشنو وماهيشا—هؤلاء الآلهة الثلاثة ظهروا من أجزاءٍ من شيفا. غير أنّ ماهيشا هو التجلي الكامل؛ بل هو شيفا نفسه، العليّ الأعلى.

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता; member of list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता; member of list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• maheśaḥ: Maheśa
• maheśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; member of list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; numeral adjective qualifying devāḥ

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• śiva-aṃśa-jāḥ: born of Śiva’s portions
• śiva-aṃśa-jāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa ‘śivasya aṃśāt jāḥ’ = born from Śiva’s portion

• maheśaḥ: Maheśa
• maheśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tatra: there/among them
• tatra: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Deśa-avyaya (locative adverb)

• pūrṇa-aṃśaḥ: the full portion
• pūrṇa-aṃśaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Karmadhāraya ‘pūrṇaḥ aṃśaḥ’

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Emphatic/reflexive adverb

• eva: indeed, alone
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Emphasis particle (अवधारण)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective qualifying śivaḥ

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes Śiva as the transcendent Pati from whom functional deities arise as aṃśas; supports temple theology where all devatās are approached through Śiva as the ultimate refuge.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic framing: emergence of trimūrti functions from Śiva’s aspects (aṃśa) within sṛṣṭi-kathā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Mahesha
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva as the ultimate Pati (Supreme Lord) from whom the cosmic functions arise, while affirming that Maheśa is not merely a functionary deity but the complete manifestation of the Supreme Śiva.

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

By declaring Maheśa as Śiva Himself, the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—worship of Śiva in manifest form (including the Śiva-liṅga) as a direct approach to the Supreme, not as a secondary or lesser symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Śiva-upāsanā through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating Śiva as the Supreme reality beyond yet present within all cosmic powers.