Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

जज्ञे सा द्यौस्तदपरं पृथिवी पंचलक्षणा । तस्मादंडाद्भवो जज्ञे ककाराख्यश्चतुर्मुखः

Transliteration

jajñe sā dyaustadaparaṃ pṛthivī paṃcalakṣaṇā | tasmādaṃḍādbhavo jajñe kakārākhyaścaturmukhaḥ

Translation

Aus jenem Prinzip entstand der Himmel, und danach trat die Erde mit den fünf Merkmalen hervor. Aus jenem kosmischen Ei ließ Bhava — der Herr — den Viergesichtigen hervorgehen, der nach der Silbe „ka“ benannt ist, nämlich Brahmā, zum Werk der Schöpfung.

Word by Word

• जज्ञे: was born/arose
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्यौः: the heaven/sky
• द्यौः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपरम्: the other/next
• अपरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पृथिवी: the earth
• पृथिवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पञ्च-लक्षणा: having five characteristics
• पञ्च-लक्षणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च लक्षणानि यस्याः सा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुँ/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• अण्डात्: from the egg
• अण्डात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जज्ञे: was born/arose
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ककार-आख्यः: named ‘kakāra’
• ककार-आख्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ककार (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ककार इति आख्यः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• चतुर्-मुखः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्-मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य सः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Differentiation of dyauḥ and pṛthivī; manifestation of Brahmā from the brahmāṇḍa under Bhava’s lordship

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhava
• Brahma
• Pṛthivī
• Dyauḥ

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Bhava—the inner causal Lord—who manifests the cosmos and empowers secondary creators like Brahmā, showing that all creation ultimately depends on Pati (Śiva), not on independent material power.

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

By naming Śiva as Bhava who brings forth Brahmā from the brahmāṇḍa, the verse supports Saguna worship: the Liṅga signifies the supreme source from whom the worlds and the creator-deity arise, making Liṅga-pūjā a direct honoring of the cosmic cause.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Bhava as the source of the brahmāṇḍa while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), using it as a creation-to-source meditation that turns the mind from effects (worlds) back to the Lord (Śiva).