Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

कृत्वा परमसंग्रामं तेन पूर्वं मुनीश्वर । प्रसाद्य तं महेशानं सत्त्वभावात्पुनः पुनः

Transliteration

kṛtvā paramasaṃgrāmaṃ tena pūrvaṃ munīśvara | prasādya taṃ maheśānaṃ sattvabhāvātpunaḥ punaḥ

Translation

يا أفضلَ الحكماء! بعد أن خاضَ من قبلُ معركةً عظمى رهيبة، عادَ مرارًا وتكرارًا يبتغي إرضاءَ الربّ ماهيشانا، مُسترضيًا إيّاه بقلبٍ طاهرٍ ذي نزعةٍ ساتفِكِيّة.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having done'

• परम-संग्रामम्: a great battle
• परम-संग्रामम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः संग्रामः)

• तेन: by him/with him
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument or Agent-associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां ईश्वरः)

• प्रसाद्य: having propitiated
• प्रसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); causative sense in usage: 'having pleased/propitiated'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of प्रसाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सत्त्व-भावात्: due to a pure/sattvic disposition
• सत्त्व-भावात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सत्त्वस्य भावः); हेत्वर्थे अपादान-प्रयोगः (because of)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/आवृत्तिवाचक (again)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even after worldly conflict, spiritual success comes from repeatedly turning to Śiva with a purified (sāttvika) heart—seeking His grace (prasāda) as the true source of protection and liberation.

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

Maheśāna is approached as the gracious, personal Lord (Saguna Śiva) who can be pleased through devotion; in practice this is expressed through Liṅga-pūjā—offering with inner purity and returning again and again to the Lord’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is repeated propitiation: daily Liṅga-abhiṣeka or simple worship with a sāttvika mindset, accompanied by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports for steady remembrance.