Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1

दिव्यरथारोहणम् — Śiva’s Ascent on the Divine Chariot

Pre-battle Portents

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । ईदृग्विधं महादिव्यं नानाश्चर्यमयं रथम् । संनह्य निगमानश्वांस्तं ब्रह्मा प्रार्पयच्छिवम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | īdṛgvidhaṃ mahādivyaṃ nānāścaryamayaṃ ratham | saṃnahya nigamānaśvāṃstaṃ brahmā prārpayacchivam

Translation

Sanatkumāra sprach: Nachdem jener höchst göttliche, von mancherlei Wundern erfüllte Wagen so bereitet und die Pferde in Gestalt der Veden angespannt worden waren, übergab Brahmā ihn Śiva.

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—proper name

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्) लिट्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• īdṛk-vidham: of such a kind
• īdṛk-vidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛś (प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘of such a kind’

• mahā-divyam: greatly divine
• mahā-divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘very divine’

• nānā-āścarya-mayam: full of many wonders
• nānā-āścarya-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + āścarya (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘consisting of many wonders’

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• saṃnahya: having harnessed/arrayed
• saṃnahya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √nah (नह्) ल्यप् (कृदन्त; absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• nigama-anaśvān: the Nigama-horses
• nigama-anaśvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigama (प्रातिपदिक) + anaśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘horses that are (i.e., named) Nigamas’

• tam: that (chariot)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• prārpayat: offered/presented
• prārpayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √arp (अर्प्) लङ्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śivam: to Śiva
• śivam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Deva-to-Deva offering motif: cosmic powers acknowledge Śiva’s supremacy by presenting the universe-symbol (ratha) to Him.

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Brahma
• Shiva
• Vedas (Nigamas)

FAQs

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

The verse presents a Shaiva vision where even Brahmā serves Śiva, and the Vedas themselves become instruments (horses) that carry the divine purpose forward—teaching that true power and victory arise when action is aligned with śāstra and dedicated to Pati (Śiva).

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

By portraying Brahmā offering a wondrous chariot to Śiva, the text emphasizes Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord who receives offerings and protection-forms for the sake of dharma; this supports devotional worship where the devotee offers resources, praise, and disciplined conduct to the Lord (as in Linga-upāsanā).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is to "harness" one’s life to the Nigamas—daily scriptural remembrance and japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—so that one’s actions become a vehicle offered to Śiva; Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa may be adopted as outward supports for that inner alignment.