Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 59

शिवानुकम्पा, ब्रह्मणो निर्भयत्वं च (Śiva’s Compassion and Brahmā’s Fearlessness)

Devanagari script

विवाहसमये यज्ञे प्रारंभे वा शृणोति यः । एतदाख्यानमव्यग्रस्संपूज्य वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

vivāhasamaye yajñe prāraṃbhe vā śṛṇoti yaḥ | etadākhyānamavyagrassaṃpūjya vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

Wer mit unzerstreutem Geist den Stierbannertragenden Herrn (Śiva) verehrt und diese heilige Erzählung zur Zeit der Hochzeit oder beim Beginn eines Opfers hört, wird durch dieses Hören wahrhaft gesegnet.

Word by Word

• विवाह-समये: at the time of marriage
• विवाह-समये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विवाहस्य समयः)

• यज्ञे: in the sacrifice/rite
• यज्ञे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• प्रारम्भे: at the beginning
• प्रारम्भे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रारम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Connector/समुच्चय-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• शृणोति: he/she hears
• शृणोति: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यः (relative pronoun)

• एतत्-आख्यानम्: this narrative/account
• एतत्-आख्यानम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (एतद् आख्यानम्)

• अव्यग्रः: unagitated, attentive
• अव्यग्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the doer)

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), “having worshipped”

• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य सः) — शिवः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse functions as śravaṇa-māhātmya: hearing Śiva-kathā with pūjā at liminal rites (vivāha/yajña-beginning) is said to confer auspiciousness and protection from obstacles.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that śravaṇa (devout listening) becomes spiritually fruitful when preceded by Śiva-pūjā and done with avyagra-citta (undistracted attention), especially at sanctifying life-ritual thresholds like marriage and yajña.

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

By naming Śiva as Vṛṣabhadhvaja, it points to Saguna Śiva worship (iconic devotion). In practice, this worship can be performed to the Śiva-liṅga before hearing the Purāṇic kathā, uniting pūjā and śravaṇa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform simple Śiva-pūjā first (offer water, bilva leaves, or bhasma as per tradition), then listen attentively to the कथा without distraction—making the beginning of a wedding/yajña spiritually Śaiva-centered.