Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

दिव्यरथारोहणम् — Śiva’s Ascent on the Divine Chariot

Pre-battle Portents

Devanagari script

शंभवेऽसौ निवेद्याधिरोपयामास शूलिनम् । बहुशः प्रार्थ्य देवेशं विष्ण्वादिसुरसमतम्

Transliteration

śaṃbhave'sau nivedyādhiropayāmāsa śūlinam | bahuśaḥ prārthya deveśaṃ viṣṇvādisurasamatam

Translation

Nachdem er sein Anliegen Śambhu vorgetragen hatte, flehte er wieder und wieder den Herrn der Götter an—Śūlin, den höchsten Träger des Dreizacks—der als gleicher Zufluchtsort für Viṣṇu und die übrigen Gottheiten verehrt wird.

Word by Word

• शंभवे: to Śambhu
• शंभवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• असौ: that person/he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• निवेद्य: having informed
• निवेद्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु √विद्/√वेद् in sense "to inform")
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), "having reported/informed"

• अधिरोपयामास: placed/caused to mount
• अधिरोपयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + रुह्/रोपय् (धातु √रुह्; causative √रुह् → रोपयति)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense: "caused to mount/placed upon"

• शूलिनम्: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; epithet of Śiva (trident-bearer)

• बहुशः: many times
• बहुशः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: many times/again and again)

• प्रार्थ्य: having entreated
• प्रार्थ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु √अर्थ्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), "having entreated/prayed"

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: "देवानाम् ईशः"), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णु-आदि-सुर-समतम्: equal to the gods beginning with Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-आदि-सुर-समतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + समत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-समूह (तत्पुरुष-प्रधान): "विष्ण्वादयः सुराः" इति षष्ठी-सम्बन्धेन; समत = "सम" (equal) + त (प्रातिपदिक); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of देवेशम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga-sthala passage; the verse functions as a narrative hinge: a bound agent (pāśu) petitions Śiva as Deveśa for intervention in the war episode.

Significance: Frames Śiva as the ultimate refuge even for Viṣṇu and the devas; encourages śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as the doorway to anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): approaching Śambhu with humility and repeated prayer, acknowledging Shiva as the supreme Lord whom even the devas revere.

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

By addressing Shiva as Śambhu and Śūlin, the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—devotional worship of Shiva with attributes—commonly expressed through Linga worship, prayer, and offering one’s petition at the Lord’s feet.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is repeated earnest prayer (japa and stuti), especially Panchākṣarī-japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a spirit of submission, as the primary means to invoke Shiva’s grace.