Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 50

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

शतमष्टोत्तरं मन्त्रं पठित्वा जलधारया । पूजयेच्च शिवं तत्र निर्गुणं गुणरूपिणम्

Transliteration

śatamaṣṭottaraṃ mantraṃ paṭhitvā jaladhārayā | pūjayecca śivaṃ tatra nirguṇaṃ guṇarūpiṇam

Translation

Nachdem man das Mantra hundertachtmal rezitiert hat, soll man dort Śiva verehren, indem man einen ununterbrochenen Wasserstrom gießt—Śiva, der jenseits der गुण (nirguṇa) ist und doch um der Bhaktas willen Gestalten mit गुण (saguṇa) annimmt.

Word by Word

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अष्टोत्तरम्: plus eight (108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समास: अष्ट अधिकम् इति (अष्ट-उत्तर = eight more)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पठित्वा: having recited
• पठित्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having recited’

• जलधारया: with a stream of water
• जलधारया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समास: जलस्य धारा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• निर्गुणम्: without attributes
• निर्गुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-निषेधपूर्वक समास/निर्धारण: निर्गताः गुणाः यस्मात् (usage as adjective)

• गुणरूपिणम्: having the form of qualities
• गुणरूपिणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समास: गुणैः रूपं यस्य (गुण-रूपिन्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Links nirguṇa–saguṇa theology to practice: abhiṣeka and mantra-japa become a bridge whereby the bound paśu approaches the transcendent Pati who compassionately appears in guṇa-rūpa for worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-japa (108 recitations) joined with abhiṣeka (steady water-offering) becomes complete worship, revealing Śiva as both transcendent (nirguṇa) and compassionately accessible through worshipful form (saguṇa).

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

The instruction of a continuous water-stream indicates liṅga-abhiṣeka; the verse affirms that the same Śiva who is beyond all qualities accepts devotion through a qualified, worshipable manifestation—especially in Jyotirliṅga contexts of the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform 108 repetitions of a Śiva-mantra and then offer jaladhārā (continuous water abhiṣeka) while maintaining bhakti and contemplation of Śiva as both nirguṇa and saguṇa.