Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च

Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis

Devanagari script

वयं के च इमे देवा विष्णुब्रह्मादयस्तथा । प्रजाश्च भवदीयाश्च कृतांजलिपुटाः स्थिताः

Transliteration

vayaṃ ke ca ime devā viṣṇubrahmādayastathā | prajāśca bhavadīyāśca kṛtāṃjalipuṭāḥ sthitāḥ

Translation

„Wer sind wir schon — und wer sind diese Götter wie Viṣṇu und Brahmā? Auch diese Wesen, die Dir gehören, stehen hier mit gefalteten Händen in Verehrung.“

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• के: who (are)
• के: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative adjective)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः: Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others
• विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—आदि-तत्पुरुष (X-आदयः = “X and others”)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• भवदीयाः: your
• भवदीयाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (सन्दर्भानुसार), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—“your/pertaining to you”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटाः: with hands folded (in reverence)
• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ, धातु; कृदन्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कृतः अञ्जलि-पुटः = “having made a hollow of joined palms”)

• स्थिताः: are standing
• स्थिताः: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थे—“standing/remaining”

Speaker

Lord Brahma (speaking with humility in praise before Lord Shiva/Skanda narrative context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse expresses Shaiva humility: even the highest devas (Brahmā and Viṣṇu) recognize their limited status and stand in reverence, affirming Shiva as the supreme Pati and the true Lord of all beings.

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

By emphasizing reverent surrender (kṛtāñjali), it supports Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the Lord with devotion and acknowledgement of His lordship over all prajā; such inner attitude is central to Linga-upāsanā in the Shiva Purana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate takeaway is bhakti in the form of añjali (folded hands) with mental surrender; paired with japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” it becomes a simple, daily Shaiva practice of devotion.