Shloka 24

एकादशरुद्रावतारकथनम् / Account of the Eleven Rudra Manifestations

Rudrāvatāras

Devanagari script

ततस्स शंकरश्शर्वस्सत्यं कर्तुं स्वकं वचः । सुरभ्यां कश्यपाज्जज्ञे एकादशस्वरूपवान्

Transliteration

tatassa śaṃkaraśśarvassatyaṃ kartuṃ svakaṃ vacaḥ | surabhyāṃ kaśyapājjajñe ekādaśasvarūpavān

Translation

Daraufhin wurde Śaṅkara—Śarva, um sein eigenes Wort wahr zu machen, aus Surabhī durch Kaśyapa geboren und offenbarte sich in elf Gestalten.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kāla/Avadhi (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थ/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: then/thereafter)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य (apposition to सः)

• शर्वः: Śarva
• शर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद/सम्बोधन-तुल्य (appositional epithet)

• सत्यम्: truth; (what is) true
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object of कर्तुम्/implicit action)

• कर्तुम्: to do/make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), कर्तुम्; प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to do/make)

• स्वकम्: his own
• स्वकम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वचः)

• वचः: word; promise
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सुरभ्याम्: from Surabhī
• सुरभ्याम्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative) एकवचन (वैकल्पिक: तृतीया/सप्तमी द्विवचन-रूपसदृश; अत्र जनन-हेतौ पञ्चमी)

• कश्यपात्: from Kaśyapa
• कश्यपात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• एकादशस्वरूपवान्: having eleven forms
• एकादशस्वरूपवान्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश-स्वरूपवत् (प्रातिपदिक; एकादश + स्वरूप + वत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of सः/शंकरः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Sharva
• Surabhi
• Kashyapa
• Eleven Rudras

FAQs

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

It affirms Shiva’s satya-saṅkalpa—His unfailing will—showing that the Lord freely assumes Saguna forms (here, eleven Rudras) to uphold His cosmic purpose while remaining the supreme Pati beyond limitation.

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

The Linga signifies the transcendent, formless Shiva, while the eleven Rudra-forms are His accessible Saguna manifestations; devotion may approach the One Lord through these forms without losing sight of the single supreme reality indicated by the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Rudra-upāsanā: japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with contemplation of Shiva’s many Rudra aspects, supported by traditional Shaiva aids like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of Rudra-tattva.