Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

अमूर्तेन स्वमूर्तिश्च तेनाकल्पि स्वलीलया । सर्वैश्वर्यगुणोपेता सर्वज्ञानमयी शुभा

Transliteration

amūrtena svamūrtiśca tenākalpi svalīlayā | sarvaiśvaryaguṇopetā sarvajñānamayī śubhā

Translation

Aus dem formlosen Herrn offenbarte sich durch Seinen eigenen spielerischen Willen (Līlā) eben jene göttliche Gestalt. Von glückverheißender Natur, war Sie mit allen herrscherlichen Kräften ausgestattet und erfüllt von vollkommenem Wissen über alles.

Word by Word

• अमूर्तेन: by/with the formless (one)
• अमूर्तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (instrumental)

• स्वमूर्तिः: his/its own form
• स्वमूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (one’s own form)

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

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• अकल्पि: was fashioned/formed
• अकल्पि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (अकल्पि = ‘was fashioned/was formed’)

• स्वलीलया: by his own sport/play
• स्वलीलया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (by his own play)

• सर्वैश्वर्यगुणोपेता: endowed with all powers and virtues
• सर्वैश्वर्यगुणोपेता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ऐश्वर्य + गुण + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; उपेत = √इ (धातु) + क्त (past participle); तत्पुरुष: सर्वैश्वर्यगुणैः उपेता (endowed with all lordly qualities)

• सर्वज्ञानमयी: full of all knowledge
• सर्वज्ञानमयी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञान + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (consisting of all knowledge)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: amūrtena svamūrtiśca tenākalpi svalīlayā | sarvaiśvaryaguṇopetā sarvajñānamayī śubhā

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: First clear theophany of Śakti as the Lord’s own manifested power in the cosmogonic sequence.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Devi/Parvati)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the formless Supreme (Shiva) is not opposed to manifestation; by His līlā, divine form and divine power appear for creation and grace. The verse highlights auspicious omniscience and sovereignty as marks of the Lord’s manifesting śakti.

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

The Linga points to the formless (amūrta) reality, while ritual worship engages the manifest (mūrta) presence. This verse harmonizes both: the nirguna source freely becomes accessible as saguna for devotees without losing transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both formless consciousness and manifest grace—worship the Linga while contemplating the amūrta truth. Japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) supports this integration of nirguna contemplation with saguna devotion.