Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्

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Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवेश्वरो हरः । कर्म्मणां साक्षिणश्चाह धर्मादीन्सभयं वचः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | devānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā devadeveśvaro haraḥ | karmmaṇāṃ sākṣiṇaścāha dharmādīnsabhayaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

Brahmā said: Hearing the words of the gods, Hara—the Lord of the gods—spoke with concern to Dharma and the others, who stand as witnesses of all actions.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वचनम्: statement/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• देवदेवेश्वरः: Lord of the gods (God of gods)
• देवदेवेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः देवानां देवः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्मणाम्: of actions/deeds
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• साक्षिणः: witnesses
• साक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आह as perfect/present-like)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect; defective form), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• धर्मादीन्: Dharma and others
• धर्मादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः धर्मः आदि यस्य (आदि-समास/तत्पुरुष-प्रकार)

• सभयम्: fearful, with fear
• सभयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying vacaḥ)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वचस्-शब्दः; वचः = acc.sg)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devas
• Shiva
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Devadeveśvara, the supreme Lord who addresses Dharma and other cosmic principles—highlighting that even the moral order and karmic law operate under His sovereignty, central to Shaiva Siddhānta’s Pati (Lord) doctrine.

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

By naming Hara as the Lord of the gods and the one who speaks to the cosmic witnesses, the verse supports Saguna worship: devotees approach the personal Lord (often through the Liṅga) as the governing consciousness behind dharma and karma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as the inner witness (sākṣī) while chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and to reinforce dharmic living with Śiva-bhakti—especially on Mahāśivarātri with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and japa.