Shloka 14

प्रणवार्थपद्धतिवर्णनम्

Methodical Explanation of the Meaning of Praṇava/Om

Devanagari script

रु द्दुःखं दुःखहेतुर्वा तद्द्रावयति यः प्रभुः । रुद्र इत्युच्यते तस्माच्छिवः परमकारणम्

Transliteration

ru dduḥkhaṃ duḥkhaheturvā taddrāvayati yaḥ prabhuḥ | rudra ityucyate tasmācchivaḥ paramakāraṇam

Translation

“Ru” denotes sorrow (or even the cause of sorrow). The Lord who makes that sorrow melt away is therefore called Rudra. Hence, Śiva is the supreme cause, the ultimate source of all.

Word by Word

• रु: (etymic element) ‘ru’
• रु: Hetu/Nimitta (हेतु/निमित्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रु (अव्यय/धात्वर्थ-निपात; ‘रु’ इति बीज/व्युत्पत्त्यङ्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; व्युत्पत्त्यङ्ग (etymological element)

• दुःखम्: sorrow, pain
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• दुःख-हेतुः: cause of sorrow
• दुःख-हेतुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुःखस्य हेतुः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• तत्: that (sorrow/cause)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्रावयति: causes to melt/drive away
• द्रावयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणार्थक (quotative particle)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th) एकवचन-रूपेण; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परम-कारणम्: the supreme cause
• परम-कारणम्: Pradhāna/Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमं कारणम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It defines Rudra as the Lord who dissolves duḥkha (suffering) and its causes, pointing to Śiva as Pati—the supreme liberator and ultimate cause—who removes bondage and leads the soul toward mokṣa.

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

By naming Śiva as Rudra—the remover of sorrow—the verse supports Saguna worship (such as the Śiva-liṅga) as a concrete means to approach the supreme cause, seeking grace that dissolves karmic and mental afflictions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Rudra as the dissolver of duḥkha while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offer simple liṅga-pūjā (water, bilva leaves) with the intent of inner purification and release from bondage.