Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

शङ्खचूडस्य मायायुद्धं तथा माहेश्वरास्त्रप्रभावः | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Māyā-Warfare and the Power of the Māheśvara Astra

Devanagari script

धनुस्सहस्रं दीर्घेण प्रस्थेन शतहस्तकम् । जीवब्रह्मास्वरूपं च नित्यरूपमनिर्मितम्

Transliteration

dhanussahasraṃ dīrgheṇa prasthena śatahastakam | jīvabrahmāsvarūpaṃ ca nityarūpamanirmitam

Translation

It extended for a thousand bow-lengths, with a breadth of a hundred hands—of the very nature of the individual self (jīva) and the Supreme Reality (Brahman); its form was eternal and uncreated.

Word by Word

• धनुःसहस्रम्: a thousand bows
• धनुःसहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुः + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धनुषां सहस्रम्)

• दीर्घेण: with a long (measure)
• दीर्घेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रस्थेन: by a prastha-measure
• प्रस्थेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• शतहस्तकम्: (measuring) a hundred cubits
• शतहस्तकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + हस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (शतं हस्तकानि यस्य/शतहस्तक-परिमाणम्)

• जीवब्रह्मास्वरूपम्: having the nature of jīva and brahman
• जीवब्रह्मास्वरूपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीव + ब्रह्म + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (जीवस्य ब्रह्मणः च स्वरूपम्/जीव-ब्रह्म-स्वरूपम्) विशेषणम्

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

• नित्यरूपम्: of eternal form
• नित्यरूपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नित्यं रूपं यस्य/नित्यरूपम्) विशेषणम्

• अनिर्मितम्: uncreated
• अनिर्मितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मा (धातु) + अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वकः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse points to Shiva’s reality as beyond fabrication—eternal and uncreated—while also indicating that the apparent divide between the individual self (jīva) and the Supreme (brahma) is resolved in the higher vision that Shiva is the ground of both.

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

The immense, immeasurable dimensions evoke the Linga/Jyoti principle—Shiva as a boundless presence that can be approached through a visible form (saguṇa worship) while signifying the formless, unmade absolute (nirguṇa truth).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Shiva as nitya and anirmitā—meditating with the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") on the limitless Linga-like presence, cultivating detachment from finite measures and identity.