Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

शङ्खचूडकस्य राज्याभिषेकः तथा शक्रपुरीं प्रति प्रस्थानम् | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Coronation and March toward Indra’s City

Devanagari script

यस्यांगजास्तु वै ब्रह्मंस्त्रयस्सृष्ट्यादिकारकाः । सत्त्वादिगुणसंपन्ना विष्णुब्रह्महराभिधाः

Transliteration

yasyāṃgajāstu vai brahmaṃstrayassṛṣṭyādikārakāḥ | sattvādiguṇasaṃpannā viṣṇubrahmaharābhidhāḥ

Translation

O Brahmā, from His own being arise the three—endowed with the guṇas such as sattva—who carry out creation and the other cosmic functions, and who are known by the names Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and Hara.

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual) सर्वनाम

• aṅgajāḥ: sons/offspring
• aṅgajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); समास: aṅga + ja (तत्पुरुष: ‘from the body’ → ‘born of’)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• brahman: O Brahmin (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular)

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याविशेषण

• sṛṣṭi-ādi-kārakāḥ: agents of creation and the rest
• sṛṣṭi-ādi-kārakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: sṛṣṭi-ādi (तत्पुरुष: ‘creation etc.’) + kāraka (तत्पुरुष: ‘doers/causers of’)

• sattva-ādi-guṇa-saṃpannāḥ: endowed with sattva etc. qualities
• sattva-ādi-guṇa-saṃpannāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃpanna (कृदन्त; √pad/√pād ‘to go/attain’ with सम्, past participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: saṃpanna (भूतकृदन्त/PPP); समास: sattva-ādi-guṇa (तत्पुरुष) + saṃpanna (तत्पुरुष: ‘endowed with…’)

• viṣṇu-brahma-hara-abhidhāḥ: bearing the names Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and Hara
• viṣṇu-brahma-hara-abhidhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक) + abhidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: viṣṇu-brahma-hara (द्वन्द्व-सदृश नामसमुच्चय) + abhidhā (तत्पुरुष: ‘having the appellations/names of…’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages, with the verse addressing Brahmā within the narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes Śiva as the source from whom the functional triad (Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Hara) proceeds; reinforces Śiva-bhakti as oriented to the ultimate cause beyond guṇa-bound offices.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Hara (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva hierarchy where the cosmic triad (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Hara) are guṇa-conditioned functionaries for creation, maintenance, and dissolution, while the ultimate source is the higher Lord (Pati), indicating that liberation lies in transcending the guṇas through Shiva-realization.

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

By identifying the Trimūrti as arising from a single source, the verse supports Linga/Saguna Shiva worship as worship of the causal Lord behind all divine functions—approaching the One through a sacred form while understanding His supremacy beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as the source of all cosmic powers while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cultivating detachment from sattva-rajas-tamas and offering all actions to Shiva as the inner ruler.