Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

शिवलोकप्रवेशः

Entry into Śivaloka through successive gateways

Devanagari script

गुणातीतं परेशानं त्रिदेवजनकं विभुम् । निर्विकल्पं निराकारं साकारं स्वेच्छया शिवम्

Transliteration

guṇātītaṃ pareśānaṃ tridevajanakaṃ vibhum | nirvikalpaṃ nirākāraṃ sākāraṃ svecchayā śivam

Translation

Ich betrachte Śiva—den höchsten Herrn jenseits der drei Guṇas, den Souverän über allem, die allgegenwärtige Quelle der drei Götter; frei von jeder begrifflichen Unterscheidung und in seiner höchsten Wirklichkeit gestaltlos, und doch nimmt er aus eigenem Willen eine sichtbare Gestalt an, um Gnade und Befreiung zu schenken.

Word by Word

• गुणातीतम्: beyond the guṇas
• गुणातीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुणान् अतीतः)

• परेशानम्: the Supreme Lord
• परेशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पर + ईशान)

• त्रिदेवजनकम्: father of the three gods
• त्रिदेवजनकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिदेव + जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदेवानां जनकः)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading one
• विभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निर्विकल्पम्: free from distinctions
• निर्विकल्पम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निर्गतः विकल्पः यस्मात्)

• निराकारम्: formless
• निराकारम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निर्गतः आकारः यस्मात्)

• साकारम्: with form
• साकारम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सह आकारेण)

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्व + इच्छा)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: guṇātītaṃ pareśānaṃ tridevajanakaṃ vibhum | nirvikalpaṃ nirākāraṃ sākāraṃ svecchayā śivam

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as Pati—the Supreme Reality who transcends prakṛti (the three guṇas) and all conceptual limitation, yet compassionately becomes accessible as the worshippable Lord, granting grace and liberation to bound souls.

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

The verse explicitly holds both truths together: Śiva is nirākāra (formless) in essence, and svecchayā sākāra (manifest by His own will). This supports Linga worship as a sacred, approachable manifestation pointing to the transcendental, nirvikalpa Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna that unites both aspects—mentally worship the formless Śiva while offering devotion to His manifest symbol (especially the Śiva-liṅga), repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady, non-conceptual awareness.