Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

रुद्र-विष्णोः ऐकत्व-उपदेशः तथा धर्म-आज्ञा

Instruction on Rudra–Viṣṇu Unity and Divine Injunctions

Devanagari script

आयुर्बलं शृणुष्वाद्य त्रिदेवानां विशेषतः । संदेहोऽत्र न कर्त्तव्यो ब्रह्मविष्णु हरात्मनाम्

Transliteration

āyurbalaṃ śṛṇuṣvādya tridevānāṃ viśeṣataḥ | saṃdeho'tra na karttavyo brahmaviṣṇu harātmanām

Translation

Höre nun, insbesondere, von Lebensspanne und Macht der Drei Götter. Hier soll keinerlei Zweifel aufkommen hinsichtlich derer, deren Wesen selbst Brahmā, Viṣṇu und Hara (Śiva) ist.

Word by Word

• āyuḥ: lifespan
• āyuḥ: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘hear’ as topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• balam: strength
• balam: Karma (कर्म; object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अत्र ‘आयुः’ इत्यनेन सह द्वन्द्वार्थे विषय-निर्देशः

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• śṛṇuṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kālādhi-karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of time)

• tridevānām: of the three gods
• tridevānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; ‘of the three gods’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘त्रयः देवाः’ = the three gods

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; ‘especially’)

• saṃdehaḥ: doubt
• saṃdehaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; of implied ‘should not be’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; location/context)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• kartavyaḥ: to be done/made
• kartavyaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृ-धातोः तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be done)

• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ātmanām: of those whose essence is Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Hara
• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ātmanām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मविष्णुहराः आत्मानः येषाम्’/‘ब्रह्म-विष्णु-हर-आत्मन्’ = whose selves are Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara (i.e., of those identified with them)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Purāṇic cosmology as a means to remove saṃśaya (doubt) in devotees; right understanding of divine hierarchy/function supports steadiness in bhakti and dharma.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Introduction to Purāṇic time/power measures of the trideva as part of sṛṣṭi-kathā and cosmic administration.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse urges śraddhā (trust) in the Purāṇic teaching about the cosmic functions and capacities of the Trideva, preparing the listener to understand creation and dissolution under the higher lordship of Hara (Śiva) as Pati.

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

By removing doubt about Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara, the text sets a clear theological frame in which Saguna Śiva (worshipped as Liṅga) is approached with certainty and devotion, not as a mere deity among many but as the decisive Lord within the cosmic triad.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate niścaya (firm conviction) before japa and pūjā—especially steady Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and Liṅga-upāsanā—so worship is performed without doubt and with focused bhakti.