Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

शिवस्तुतिवर्णनम् (Śiva-stuti-varṇanam) — “Description of Hymns in Praise of Śiva”

Devanagari script

वदंति वेदास्त्वां संतः परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम् । भवंतं तत्त्वमित्यद्य तेजोराशिं परात्परम्

Transliteration

vadaṃti vedāstvāṃ saṃtaḥ parabrahmasvarūpiṇam | bhavaṃtaṃ tattvamityadya tejorāśiṃ parātparam

Translation

Die Veden und die verwirklichten Heiligen verkünden Dich als die Gestalt des höchsten Brahman, des Parabrahman. Noch heute preisen sie Dich als die letzte Wirklichkeit—als die transzendente, unübertreffliche Fülle göttlichen Lichtes jenseits von allem.

Word by Word

• वदन्ति: say
• वदन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सन्तः: the saints / the good
• सन्तः: कर्ता (Co-subject/appositive to वेदाः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक; √अस् (धातु) से)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘good/saintly ones’

• परब्रह्म-स्वरूपिणम्: as of the nature of the Supreme Brahman
• परब्रह्म-स्वरूपिणम्: विशेषण (Adjective of त्वाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + ब्रह्मन् + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परब्रह्मस्वरूपिन् = ‘having the nature of the Supreme Brahman’)

• भवन्तम्: you (honorific)
• भवन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; 2nd person honorific pronoun)
• Form: सर्वनामवत्, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: the Reality/Principle
• तत्त्वम्: विधेय (Predicate nominative/accusative in quotation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘reality/principle’

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: कालाधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तेजः-राशिम्: a mass of radiance
• तेजः-राशिम्: कर्म (Object in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् + राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तेजोराशि = ‘mass/heap of splendor’)

• परात्-परम्: supremely transcendent
• परात्-परम्: विशेषण (Adjective of तेजोराशिम्/भवन्तम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परात् + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परात्पर = ‘beyond the beyond/greater than the greatest’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic account; the verse voices the Vedic praise within the narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The epithet ‘tejorāśi parātpara’ resonates with jyotirliṅga theology (Śiva as column/mass of light), though no single site is specified in this verse.

Significance: Supports jyotirliṅga darśana as encounter with ‘tejas’ (divine light) symbolizing Parabrahman; encourages seeing liṅga as revelation of the transcendent Lord.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as Parabrahman—the highest Reality (tattva) beyond all limitation—described as the supreme, transcendent Light, affirming Shiva as Pati (the Absolute Lord) who grants liberation.

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

Though Shiva is praised here as the formless Parabrahman (nirguṇa), the Shiva Purana teaches that devotees approach the same Supreme through saguna worship—especially the Śiva-liṅga—where the infinite Light is reverently symbolized and worshiped.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner Light (tejo-rāśi) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and support the practice with Shaiva marks like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.