Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

नागेन्द्रभोगावृतसर्वगात्रः कपालमालाभरणो जटालः । स शूलहस्तश्शरतूणधारी महाधनुष्मान्विवृताक्षसूत्रः

Transliteration

nāgendrabhogāvṛtasarvagātraḥ kapālamālābharaṇo jaṭālaḥ | sa śūlahastaśśaratūṇadhārī mahādhanuṣmānvivṛtākṣasūtraḥ

Translation

Sein ganzer Leib war von den Windungen des Schlangenkönigs umhüllt; er war mit einer Schädelgirlande geschmückt und trug verfilzte Jatas. Den Triśūla in der Hand, mit Köcher und mächtigem Bogen, stand er da—und die Rudrākṣa-Gebetskette war deutlich sichtbar.

Word by Word

• नागेन्द्र-भोग-आवृत-सर्व-गात्रः: whose whole body is covered with the coils of the serpent-king
• नागेन्द्र-भोग-आवृत-सर्व-गात्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of सः/मुनिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; आ+वृ) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; अर्थः—नागेन्द्रस्य भोगैः आवृतानि सर्वाणि गात्राणि यस्य

• कपाल-माला-आभरणः: adorned with a garland of skulls
• कपाल-माला-आभरणः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कपालानां माला आभरणं यस्य)

• जटालः: matted-haired
• जटालः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जटायुक्तः

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शूल-हस्तः: having a trident in hand
• शूल-हस्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शूलं हस्ते यस्य)

• शर-तूण-धारी: bearing a quiver of arrows
• शर-तूण-धारी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + तूण (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शराणां तूणं धारयति इति)

• महा-धनुष्मान्: possessing a great bow
• महा-धनुष्मान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + धनुष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्चासौ धनुष्मान्)

• विवृत-अक्ष-सूत्रः: with a displayed rosary (string of beads)
• विवृत-अक्ष-सूत्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवृत (कृदन्त; वि+वृ) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; अर्थः—विवृतं अक्षसूत्रं (जपमाला) यस्य / विवृतेन अक्षसूत्रेण युक्तः

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, describing Lord Śiva in battle)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva’s saguna (manifest) majesty: serpent-coils, skull-garland, and matted locks signify transcendence over fear, death, and ego, while the revealed rudrākṣa rosary points to japa as the inner power behind divine action—Pati (Śiva) guiding and protecting devotees toward liberation.

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

While the Liṅga is the aniconic mark of the Supreme, this verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—the approachable, personal Lord with attributes. Shaiva Siddhanta harmonizes both: devotees worship the Liṅga while contemplating these divine signs as aids for bhakti and focused meditation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The explicit akṣa-sūtra suggests rudrākṣa-japa—especially repetition of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a steady practice, supported by śiva-bhakti and disciplined remembrance even amid life’s ‘battle’.