Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

पुरुषं परमात्मानं पुरुहूतं पुरुष्टुतम् । विष्णुमच्युतमीशानं विश्वस्य प्रभवोद्भवम्

Transliteration

puruṣaṃ paramātmānaṃ puruhūtaṃ puruṣṭutam | viṣṇumacyutamīśānaṃ viśvasya prabhavodbhavam

Translation

Ich verehre jenen höchsten Puruṣa, das höchste Selbst—weitum angerufen und hoch gepriesen—der Viṣṇu, der Unfehlbare (Acyuta), und Īśāna genannt wird; er ist die Quelle, aus der dieses ganze Universum hervorgeht und durch die es ins Dasein gebracht wird. (Aus śaivischer Sicht gipfeln diese Beinamen im einen Pati: Śiva, der souveränen Ursache jenseits aller Namen.)

Word by Word

• पुरुषम्: the Person (Supreme Being)
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; in apposition list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमात्मानम्: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा (कर्मधारय)

• पुरुहूतम्: Puruhūta (much-invoked one)
• पुरुहूतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुहूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम/उपाधि

• पुरुष्टुतम्: praised by many
• पुरुष्टुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरु-स्तुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पुरुभिः स्तुतः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष; ‘praised by many’)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (the unfailing one)
• अच्युतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम/उपाधि

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (the Lord)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम/उपाधि

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रभवोद्भवम्: the source and origin (of the universe)
• प्रभवोद्भवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव-उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—प्रभवः च उद्भवः च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; ‘origin and emergence/source’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, conveying a stuti within the creation narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: puruṣaṃ paramātmānaṃ puruhūtaṃ puruṣṭutam | viṣṇumacyutamīśānaṃ viśvasya prabhavodbhavam

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogonic attribution: ‘viśvasya prabhavodbhavam’—the universe’s arising from the supreme cause.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It affirms the one Supreme Reality as the inner Self and cosmic source; multiple divine titles are gathered into the sovereignty of Īśāna (Śiva), teaching that liberation comes by recognizing the Pati who is the origin and ground of all.

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

By presenting the Supreme as both beyond names and approachable through names, it supports Saguna worship—such as the Śiva-liṅga—as a focused symbol through which the devotee contemplates the all-pervading Lord who is also the transcendent Self.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use nāma-japa and stuti: meditate on Īśāna as the source of the universe while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering mental praise (mānasa-pūjā) to the Liṅga as the visible support for the invisible Supreme.