Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā

Devanagari script

प्रक्षाल्य चेतसोऽत्यंतं चांचल्याख्यं महामलम् । भावनावार्भिरसकृदिंद्रियैस्सहितस्य च

Transliteration

prakṣālya cetaso'tyaṃtaṃ cāṃcalyākhyaṃ mahāmalam | bhāvanāvārbhirasakṛdiṃdriyaissahitasya ca

Translation

Nachdem er die große Unreinheit des Geistes, die Unruhe genannt wird, völlig abgewaschen hatte, reinigte er sie immer wieder mit den „Wassern“ der Bhāvanā, der kontemplativen Einübung, und ebenso die Sinne.

Word by Word

• prakṣālya: having cleansed
• prakṣālya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṣāl (क्षाल् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta—Ktvā (क्त्वा) absolutive/gerund; ‘having washed/cleansed’

• cetasaḥ: of the mind
• cetasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; genitive singular

• atyantam: completely, utterly
• atyantam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyanta (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) used as intensifying adverb

• cāṃcalya-ākhyam: called ‘restlessness’
• cāṃcalya-ākhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāṃcalya (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; accusative singular (agreeing with mahāmalam); समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘named as restlessness’)

• mahā-malam: the great impurity
• mahā-malam: Karma (कर्म/object of prakṣālya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; accusative singular; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘great impurity’)

• bhāvanā-vārbhiḥ: with the waters of contemplation
• bhāvanā-vārbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāvanā (प्रातिपदिक) + vāri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (vāri), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana; instrumental plural; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘waters of contemplation’)

• asakṛt: repeatedly
• asakṛt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) frequency-adverb

• indriyaiḥ: with the senses
• indriyaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana; instrumental plural

• sahitasya: of (one) accompanied
• sahitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठī), Ekavacana; genitive singular; ‘of one who is accompanied/associated’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात/and)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Defines pāśa at the psychological level: cāñcalya (restless fluctuation) as mala-like impurity; purification through bhāvanā (contemplative cultivation) aligns with Siddhāntic yoga leading to grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the chief obstacle to realizing Shiva is the mind’s restlessness (cāñcalya), and that liberation-oriented purity arises by repeatedly cleansing the mind and senses through sustained contemplative practice (bhāvanā).

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

Linga-worship is not merely external; this verse emphasizes inner purification so that devotion to Saguna Shiva (through Linga, mantra, and pūjā) becomes steady, one-pointed, and capable of leading toward Shiva-realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Repeated bhāvanā—steady meditation/contemplation—paired with indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint); in a Shaiva setting this is commonly supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined daily worship.