Shloka 12

एकादशरुद्रावतारकथनम् / Account of the Eleven Rudra Manifestations

Rudrāvatāras

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वाथ तं महेशानं स प्रणम्य कृताञ्जलिः । तुष्टाव कश्यपो हृष्टो देवतातः प्रस न्नधीः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvātha taṃ maheśānaṃ sa praṇamya kṛtāñjaliḥ | tuṣṭāva kaśyapo hṛṣṭo devatātaḥ prasa nnadhīḥ

Translation

Then, beholding that Mahēśāna (the Great Lord), Kaśyapa—the progenitor of the gods—bowed down with folded hands. Overjoyed and with a serene, pleased mind, he began to hymn the Lord in praise.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (sequencing particle)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/ल्यपन्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands joined (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier of सः/कश्यपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive): कृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य सः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; रूपम्: तुष्टाव

• कश्यपः: Kaśyapa
• कश्यपः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हृष्टः: delighted
• हृष्टः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier of कश्यपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवताताḥ: father of the gods (epithet)
• देवताताḥ: कर्ता/सम्बोधन-सम्बन्ध (Appositional epithet of कश्यपः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवताता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (पाठभेद-संभावना: देवतातः/देवतात्मा इत्यादि)

• प्रसन्नधीः: whose mind is serene
• प्रसन्नधीः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier of कश्यपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: प्रसन्ना धीः यस्य सः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshana
• Kashyapa

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva path of grace: true darśana of Maheshana naturally culminates in humility (praṇāma) and praise (stuti), showing that a purified, serene mind becomes fit to receive Shiva’s anugraha (liberating favor).

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

The verse models Saguna-upāsanā: encountering Shiva in a knowable form leads to reverent gestures—joined palms, bowing, and hymns—core elements of Linga worship where devotion is expressed through namaskāra and stotra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali-mudrā with namaskāra, followed by stotra-pāṭha; as a meditative takeaway, steady the mind into prasannatā (calm clarity) while repeating a Shiva mantra such as the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).