Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

यकारादिसकारान्ता विभोर्वै सप्तधातवः । हकारो नाभिरूपो हि क्षकारो घ्राण उच्यते

Transliteration

yakārādisakārāntā vibhorvai saptadhātavaḥ | hakāro nābhirūpo hi kṣakāro ghrāṇa ucyate

Translation

من المقطع «يا» إلى المقطع «سا» تُذكر حقًّا بوصفها العناصر الحيوية السبعة للربّ الكلّيّ النفاذ. والمقطع «ها» يُقال إنه على هيئة السُّرّة، والمقطع «كشا» يُعلن أنه الأنف، عضو الشمّ.

Word by Word

• यकारादि-सकारान्ताः: beginning with ‘ya’ and ending with ‘sa’
• यकारादि-सकारान्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यकार + आदि + सकार + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (यकारः आदिः यस्य…; सकारः अन्तः यस्य…)

• विभोः: of the Lord
• विभोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with धातवः)

• धातवः: constituents/elements
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हकारः: the syllable/letter ‘ha’
• हकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्ण-नाम

• नाभिरूपः: the form of the navel (navel-region)
• नाभिरूपः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नाभेः रूपः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (for/indeed)

• क्षकारः: the syllable/letter ‘kṣa’
• क्षकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्ण-नाम

• घ्राणम्: nose/olfactory organ
• घ्राणम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-रूपे (predicate)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: yakārādisakārāntā vibhorvai saptadhātavaḥ | hakāro nābhirūpo hi kṣakāro ghrāṇa ucyate

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a Shaiva contemplative method: the Lord (Pati) is realized as all-pervading, and the sacred syllables are visualized as inner supports of embodiment, turning the body into a field of mantra-awareness that leads the soul (paśu) toward liberation.

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

Just as the Liṅga is the visible support for meditating on the formless Supreme, this verse presents syllables as supports (ādhāra) for Saguna contemplation—seeing Shiva’s presence within the practitioner’s own embodied experience through mantra-nyāsa and inner worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A nyāsa-style meditation: during japa, mentally place (nyāsa) the syllables upon the corresponding inner points (e.g., “ha” at the navel, “kṣa” at the nose) while maintaining devotion to Shiva and steady breath-awareness.