Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च

Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis

Devanagari script

गणपो वाथ विष्णुर्वा ब्रह्मा वा शंकरस्तथा । इन्द्रो वा यक्षराजो वा स्कंदो वा सूर्य एव वा

Transliteration

gaṇapo vātha viṣṇurvā brahmā vā śaṃkarastathā | indro vā yakṣarājo vā skaṃdo vā sūrya eva vā

Translation

গণপতি হওক বা বিষ্ণু, ব্ৰহ্মা হওক বা শংকৰ; ইন্দ্ৰ হওক বা যক্ষৰাজ, স্কন্দ হওক বা স্বয়ং সূৰ্য—(সকলেই পৰমেশ্বৰৰ বিধানাধীন)।

Word by Word

• गणपः: Gaṇapa (leader of gaṇas)
• गणपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/समुच्चय (then/and)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (ब्रह्मन्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन रूपम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/तुल्यत्व (also/likewise)

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

• यक्ष-राजः: king of the Yakṣas
• यक्ष-राजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: यक्षाणां राजा)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

• सूर्यः: Sun-god
• सूर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/just)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva
• Indra
• Kubera
• Kartikeya
• Surya

FAQs

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

It lists major deities to emphasize that all cosmic powers—creation, preservation, rule, wealth, valor, and illumination—operate by the Supreme Lord’s ordinance; in Shaiva Siddhanta this points to Shiva as Pati, the ultimate source and governor.

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

By placing even the highest gods within the Supreme Lord’s domain, the verse supports exclusive refuge in Shiva; Linga worship honors Shiva as the all-pervading Saguna focus through which devotees approach the transcendent Nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt single-minded Shiva-bhakti: worship the Shiva-Linga with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, "Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and cultivate humility by seeing all powers as dependent on Shiva’s grace.