Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

त्रिपुरदाहानन्तरं देवभयः ब्रह्मस्तुतिश्च — Fear of the Gods after Tripura’s Burning and Brahmā’s Praise

Devanagari script

जनार्दनोऽपि भगवान् नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम् । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा तुष्टाव च महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

janārdano'pi bhagavān namaskṛtya maheśvaram | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā tuṣṭāva ca maheśvaram

Translation

Selbst Bhagavān Janārdana (Viṣṇu) verneigte sich vor Maheśvara. Mit im Añjali gefalteten Händen pries er in ehrfürchtiger Bitte jenen höchsten Herrn Maheśvara.

Word by Word

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + अर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (traditional epithet: ‘afflicter of people/foes’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), ‘also’

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective/title), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जनार्दनस्य विशेषणम्

• नमस्कृत्य: having bowed/saluted
• नमस्कृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having saluted’

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: ‘great Lord’), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined in añjali
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive: ‘one whose hands are in the añjali-cup’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जनार्दनस्य विशेषणम्

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having become’

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय, पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Maheshvara
• Janardana

FAQs

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

It highlights the supremacy of Pati (Śiva) and the Shaiva ideal of humility: even a great deity like Viṣṇu approaches Maheśvara with namaskāra and praise, showing that liberation-oriented devotion begins with surrender and reverence.

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

The verse models Saguna worship through visible gestures—bowing and añjali—paired with stotra. This is the same devotional mood used in Liṅga-pūjā: honoring Śiva as Maheśvara with outward reverence and inward praise.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali (joined palms), perform namaskāra, and recite a Śiva-stotra or the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a surrendered attitude, making praise (stuti) the core of one’s meditation.