Shloka 52

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

विश्वतः पादवन्तं तं विश्वतोक्षिकरं शिवम् । ब्रह्मणोऽधिपति सर्गस्थितिसंहारकारणम्

Transliteration

viśvataḥ pādavantaṃ taṃ viśvatokṣikaraṃ śivam | brahmaṇo'dhipati sargasthitisaṃhārakāraṇam

Translation

I contemplate that Śiva whose feet are everywhere and whose eyes and hands are everywhere—the Lord even over Brahmā—who is the very cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution.

Word by Word

• विश्वतः: on all sides
• विश्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विश्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/पर्याय (adverb: on all sides/everywhere)

• पाद-वन्तम्: having feet
• पाद-वन्तम्: कर्म (karma; object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + वन्त् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वन्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: ‘possessing feet’

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (karma; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विश्वतः: on all sides
• विश्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विश्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb: on all sides

• अक्षि-करम्: having eyes and hands
• अक्षि-करम्: कर्म (karma; object, apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘having eyes and hands’ (lit. eye-hand-ed)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (karma; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नाम

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: सम्बन्ध (ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha; possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• अधिपति: lord, overlord
• अधिपति: कर्ता (kartā; subject/apposition to Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थेऽपि सम्भवः (could also be vocative by context)

• सर्ग-स्थिति-संहार-कारणम्: the cause of creation, sustenance, and dissolution
• सर्ग-स्थिति-संहार-कारणम्: कर्म (karma; object, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वक षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the all-pervading Pati (Supreme Lord) who transcends even Brahmā and stands as the ultimate cause behind sṛṣṭi (creation), sthiti (sustenance), and saṃhāra (withdrawal), guiding the devotee toward surrender and liberation.

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

Though Shiva is ultimately beyond form (nirguṇa), this verse supports saguna-upāsanā by meditating on Shiva’s immanence—“everywhere are His feet, eyes, and hands”—which aligns with Linga worship as a universal symbol of the all-pervading Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna (meditation) on Shiva’s all-pervasiveness while chanting the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and offering bilva leaves to the Shiva Linga with the intent of seeing Shiva present in all directions and all beings.