Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

दीक्षितपुत्रस्य दैन्यचिन्ता तथा शिवरात्र्युपासनाप्रसङ्गः / The Initiate’s Son in Distress and the Occasion of Śivarātri Worship

Devanagari script

नानाविधान्महादिव्यान्स्वजनैः परिवारितः । समभ्यर्चितुमीशानं शिवरात्रावुपोषितः

Transliteration

nānāvidhānmahādivyānsvajanaiḥ parivāritaḥ | samabhyarcitumīśānaṃ śivarātrāvupoṣitaḥ

Translation

Surrounded by his own people and bearing many kinds of superb, divine offerings, he observed the fast on the Night of Śiva (Mahāśivarātri) in order to worship Īśāna—the Supreme Lord Śiva—with full devotion.

Word by Word

• नाना-विधान्: of various kinds
• नाना-विधान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; विशेषण (महादिव्यान् इति)

• महा-दिव्यान्: great and divine (offerings)
• महा-दिव्यान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; विशेषण (उपहारान् इत्यर्थे)

• स्वजनैः: by/with his own people
• स्वजनैः: करण/सह (Karaṇa/Saha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; (स्वस्य जनाः)

• परिवारितः: surrounded
• परिवारितः: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे ‘surrounded’

• समभ्यर्चितुम्: to worship
• समभ्यर्चितुम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; ‘to worship’

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (Lord Śiva)
• ईशानम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• शिवरात्रौ: on the night of Śiva (Śivarātri)
• शिवरात्रौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (शिवस्य रात्रिः)

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘having fasted’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śivarātri vrata and worship of Īśāna are presented as universally efficacious, not tied here to a specific jyotirliṅga site.

Significance: Mahāśivarātri fasting and night-worship are framed as a direct means to invite Śiva’s anugraha, purify pāśa (bondage), and uplift the paśu (bound soul).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Śivarātri observance (night-vrata)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Mahāśivarātri as a vrata where disciplined fasting (upoṣaṇa) and heartfelt worship invite Īśāna’s grace, emphasizing bhakti supported by self-restraint—key to purification and spiritual upliftment in Shaiva Siddhānta.

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

By describing worship with divine offerings on Śivarātri, the verse points to Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as Īśāna through ritual reverence (often centered on the Śiva-liṅga) while recognizing Him as the supreme Lord who bestows liberation through grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It directly suggests Śivarātri upavāsa (fasting) and formal worship (abhyarcana) with offerings; as a practical takeaway, one may combine fasting with mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and night-vigil worship in devotion to Īśāna.