Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode

Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall

Devanagari script

त्रिदेवजनकस्सोत्र त्रिगुणात्मा च निर्गुणः । भक्तेच्छया च सगुणो हरिब्रह्मप्रवर्तकः

Transliteration

tridevajanakassotra triguṇātmā ca nirguṇaḥ | bhaktecchayā ca saguṇo haribrahmapravartakaḥ

Translation

Er ist der Erzeuger der drei Götter; Er ist das Wesen der drei Guṇas und doch jenseits der Guṇas, nirguṇa. Aus dem Wunsch seiner Bhaktas erscheint Er mit Eigenschaften, saguṇa, und Er ist es, der Hari (Viṣṇu) und Brahmā ermächtigt und in Wirksamkeit setzt.

Word by Word

• त्रि-देव-जनकः: father of the three gods
• त्रि-देव-जनकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदेवानां जनकः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्र: here/indeed
• उत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्ग-सूचक (adverb/particle, ‘here/indeed’); पाठभेद-संभवः (अत्र इत्यर्थे)

• त्रि-गुण-आत्मा: one whose nature is the three guṇas
• त्रि-गुण-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘whose nature is of three guṇas’)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• निर्गुणः: without attributes
• निर्गुणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भक्त-इच्छया: by the wish of devotees
• भक्त-इच्छया: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भक्तानाम् इच्छा)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• सगुणः: with attributes
• सगुणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हरि-ब्रह्म-प्रवर्तकः: promoter/initiator of Hari and Brahmā
• हरि-ब्रह्म-प्रवर्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरिब्रह्मणोः प्रवर्तकः = ‘instigator/initiator of Hari and Brahmā’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is both transcendent (nirguṇa) and immanent (the ground of the guṇas), and that His grace responds to bhakti—revealing a worshipable, approachable form without losing His supreme transcendence.

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

The verse supports saguna worship (such as the Śiva-liṅga) as a compassionate self-manifestation of the nirguṇa Lord, assumed by Shiva for the devotee’s sake so devotion can mature into liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate bhakti through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and focused meditation on Shiva’s saguna form (e.g., liṅga-dhyāna), understanding it as the doorway to realizing the nirguṇa reality.