Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

रुद्ररथ-निर्माणवर्णनम् / Description of Rudra’s Divine Chariot Construction

Devanagari script

ऋतवो नेमयः षट् च तयोर्वै विप्रपुंगव । पुष्करं चांतरिक्षं वै रथनीडश्च मंदरः

Transliteration

ṛtavo nemayaḥ ṣaṭ ca tayorvai viprapuṃgava | puṣkaraṃ cāṃtarikṣaṃ vai rathanīḍaśca maṃdaraḥ

Translation

يا أفضلَ البراهمة، إن الفصولَ وأجزاءَ الطوق الستّة (nemi) هي حقًّا في جملتهم؛ وكذلك بوشكرا (Puṣkara)، والفضاءُ الأوسط (antarikṣa)، وراثانيضا (Rathanīḍa)، ومندرا (Mandara) الجبل.

Word by Word

• ṛtavaḥ: seasons
• ṛtavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nemayaḥ: rims/felloes
• nemayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nemi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्यावाचक), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural sense; agrees with ṛtavaḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dual (द्विवचन), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) / Locative (7th/सप्तमी) form; here Genitive: 'of those two'

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), emphasis

• vipra-puṃgava: O best of brāhmaṇas
• vipra-puṃgava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); 'bull among brāhmaṇas'

• puṣkaram: Puṣkara (name) / lotus-lake
• puṣkaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• antarikṣam: the sky/atmosphere
• antarikṣam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarikṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• ratha-nīḍaḥ: Rathanīḍa (name)
• ratha-nīḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक) + nīḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpurusha: 'chariot-nest' (proper name)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• maṃdaraḥ: Mandara (mountain/name)
• maṃdaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃdara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Mandara
• Puṣkara

FAQs

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

It lists elements of cosmic order—time as seasons, spatial realms like antarikṣa, and sacred/cosmic landmarks—implying that all structured reality functions within Shiva’s lordship (Pati), the ground of order and dissolution.

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

By naming the ordered domains of the universe, the verse supports Saguna contemplation: the devotee can revere Shiva as the immanent Lord pervading time (ṛtu) and space (antarikṣa), which the Liṅga symbolizes as the all-pervading axis of being.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is bhāvanā (contemplation): during japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” meditate that seasons, sky, and sacred places exist and move by Shiva’s śakti; optionally apply Tripuṇḍra and offer water while remembering Shiva as the ruler of all lokas.