Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 68

गणेश-वाक्यं तथा गणानां समर-सन्नाहः | Gaṇeśa’s Challenge and the Mustering of the Gaṇas

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । देवदेव महादेव शृणु मद्वचनं विभो । त्वमेव सर्वगस्स्वामी नानालीलाविशारदः

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | devadeva mahādeva śṛṇu madvacanaṃ vibho | tvameva sarvagassvāmī nānālīlāviśāradaḥ

Translation

নারদ বললেন—হে দেবদেব মহাদেব, হে বিভো, আমার বাক্য শুনুন। আপনিই সর্বত্রগামী স্বামী, নানাবিধ দিব্য লীলায় সুদক্ষ।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• देवदेव: O god of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of gods’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• महादेव: O Mahadeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: ‘great (who is) god’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मत्-वचनम्: my word(s)
• मत्-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive: ‘my’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थक सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis)

• सर्वगः: all-pervading
• सर्वगः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (sense: ‘going everywhere’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies स्वामी)

• स्वामी: master/lord
• स्वामी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• नाना-लीला-विशारदः: skilled in many divine plays
• नाना-लीला-विशारदः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘skilled in various sports/plays’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies त्वम्/स्वामी)

Speaker

Narada

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: देवदेव महादेव शृणु मद्वचनं विभो । त्वमेव सर्वगस्स्वामी नानालीलाविशारदः

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Śiva as the supreme, all-pervading Master (Pati) and frames devotion as humble dialogue—approaching Mahādeva with reverence and sincerity so that divine instruction and grace may unfold.

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

By addressing Śiva as Devadeva and Vibhū, Nārada affirms Saguna worship—relating to the Lord through name, form, and qualities—while also hinting at His all-pervading nature that the Liṅga symbolizes as the boundless Pati beyond limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa and bhakti: listen and speak to Śiva with focused reverence—ideally alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplative remembrance of His līlā as a support for steady devotion.