Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34

शिवागमन-नाद-समागमः (Śiva’s Advent, the Drum-Sound, and the Cosmic Assembly)

Devanagari script

अथ शम्भुस्तमालिंग्य कुबेरं प्रीतमानसः । मूर्ध्निं चाघ्राय संतस्थावलकां निकषाखिलैः

Transliteration

atha śambhustamāliṃgya kuberaṃ prītamānasaḥ | mūrdhniṃ cāghrāya saṃtasthāvalakāṃ nikaṣākhilaiḥ

Translation

Dann umarmte Śambhu, von Freude im Herzen erfüllt, Kubera; und indem Er zum Segen den Scheitel seines Hauptes berührend beschnupperte, verweilte Er dort in Alakā zusammen mit all Seinen Gefolgschaften.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/now)

• śambhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• āliṅgya: having embraced
• āliṅgya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√liṅg (लिङ्ग्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having embraced’

• kuberaṃ: Kubera
• kuberaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubera (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prīta-mānasaḥ: with a pleased mind
• prīta-mānasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √prī) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः— ‘yasya mānasaṃ prītam’ (whose mind is pleased)

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• āghrāya: having smelled
• āghrāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√ghrā (घ्रा) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having smelled’

• saṃtasthau: stood
• saṃtasthau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (स्था) (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘stood/settled’

• alakāṃ: Alakā (city)
• alakāṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नगर-नाम

• nikaṣākhilaiḥ: with all (adjacent) surroundings
• nikaṣākhilaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikaṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + akhila (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘akhilaiḥ nikaṣaiḥ’ = with all (nearby) surroundings/adjacent (things)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Alakā (Kubera’s city) becomes a temporary līlā-sthala where Śiva bestows favor through intimate gestures (embrace, smelling the head), emblematic of grace rather than a fixed liṅga-sthāna.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kubera
• Alaka

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): the Lord’s affectionate embrace and blessing show that divine favor is not merely material reward, but a sanctifying touch that can purify prosperity and orient it toward dharma and liberation.

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

The verse depicts Saguna Śiva in a personal, relational form—embracing and blessing a devotee. Such leelas support Linga-worship by emphasizing that the formless Supreme is also accessible through compassionate, embodied grace received through devotion and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice bhakti with humility: offer daily worship to Śiva (especially Linga-abhisheka) while mentally seeking His grace to keep wealth and success free from ego. Japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” aligns prosperity with dharma.