Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

ते चान्ये च सुरा रुद्रं रुद्राध्यायेन तुष्टुवुः । प्रसन्नवदनस्तस्थौ देवानामग्रतः प्रभुः

Transliteration

te cānye ca surā rudraṃ rudrādhyāyena tuṣṭuvuḥ | prasannavadanastasthau devānāmagrataḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

Jene Götter — und auch die anderen — priesen Rudra durch das Rudrādhyāya. Mit heiterem Antlitz stand der Herr vor den Göttern und offenbarte den Verehrern Seine gnadenvolle, mit Eigenschaften (saguṇa) versehene Gegenwart.

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता/subject, coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (others)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• rudram: Rudra
• rudram: Karma (कर्म/object of praise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• rudra-adhyāyena: with the Rudra-hymn/chapter
• rudra-adhyāyena: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (rudrasya adhyāyaḥ), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental: ‘by/with the Rudra-chapter/hymn’)

• tuṣṭuvuḥ: praised
• tuṣṭuvuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु) + tus- (intensive/augment)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• prasanna-vadanaḥ: with a serene face
• prasanna-vadanaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (prasannam vadanaṃ yasya/‘having a serene face’ used adjectivally), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘prabhuḥ’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• tasthau: stood
• tasthau: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन

• agrataḥ: in front
• agrataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agrataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘in front of’)

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of ‘tasthau’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Referenced) रुद्राध्यायेन / Rudrādhyāya (Śatarudrīya-style praise)

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It shows that sincere stuti (hymnic praise) turns the mind toward Pati (Rudra), and by that devotion the Lord becomes prasanna—bestowing grace by standing openly before His devotees.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva: the Lord is described with a ‘pleased face’ and a visible, approachable presence. In Shaiva practice, such praise supports Linga-worship by invoking Shiva’s manifest, grace-giving aspect while honoring His supreme transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rudra-stotra recitation (Rudrādhyāya-pāṭha) with focused bhakti—optionally alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and traditional Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) as a reminder of surrender to Rudra.