Shloka 36

शिवपुराण-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Śiva Purāṇa) / Śivapurāṇa Māhātmya

Devanagari script

तां रुद्र संहितां यस्तु सपठेद्वटबिल्वयोः । प्रदक्षिणां प्रकुर्वाणो ब्रह्महत्या निवर्तते

Transliteration

tāṃ rudra saṃhitāṃ yastu sapaṭhedvaṭabilvayoḥ | pradakṣiṇāṃ prakurvāṇo brahmahatyā nivartate

Translation

Whoever recites that Rudra-saṃhitā before a banyan and a bilva tree, and performs pradakṣiṇā (devotional circumambulation), is freed from the sin of brahmahatyā—the grievous fault of slaying a brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; refers to ‘saṃhitām’

• रुद्र: of Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (used as first member in compound sense)

• संहिताम्: saṃhitā, compilation
• संहिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of ‘sapaṭhet’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; relative pronoun, subject

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• सपठेत्: should recite
• सपठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु) with स- (सम्/सह) prefix-like usage
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘should recite/read’

• वटबिल्वयोः: at the banyan and bilva (trees)
• वटबिल्वयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट + बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास ‘vaṭa and bilva’; षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; here locative sense ‘at/near’ is intended: सप्तमी द्विवचन

• प्रदक्षिणाम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of ‘prakurvāṇaḥ’ (doing circumambulation)

• प्रकुर्वाणः: doing, performing
• प्रकुर्वाणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) with प्र- उपसर्ग; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदीय वर्तमान कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; agrees with ‘yaḥ’

• ब्रह्महत्या: brahmin-slaying sin (brahmahatyā)
• ब्रह्महत्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘killing of a brāhmaṇa’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject of ‘nivartate’

• निवर्तते: is removed, ceases
• निवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्त् (धातु) with नि- उपसर्ग
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘ceases/is removed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse prescribes a merit-producing observance (pāṭha + pradakṣiṇā) near vaṭa and bilva; it is not tied here to a specific Jyotirliṅga legend, but reflects the broader Purāṇic motif that proximity to Śiva-beloved trees amplifies śravaṇa/pāṭha and yields pāpa-kṣaya.

Significance: Recitation of Rudra-saṃhitā with pradakṣiṇā is said to remove even mahāpātaka-level demerit (brahmahatyā), implying strong prāyaścitta efficacy and eligibility-restoration for dharma and worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion expressed through śāstra-pāṭha (recitation of Rudra-saṃhitā) joined with embodied reverence (pradakṣiṇā) has powerful purifying force, removing even heavy karmic faults by Shiva’s grace.

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

Bilva is a primary offering in Saguna Shiva worship, and pradakṣiṇā is a standard act around the Liṅga; the verse extends that same Liṅga-bhakti logic to reciting Shiva’s scripture in a sanctified space associated with Shiva’s symbols.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Recite the Rudra-saṃhitā (or a portion) near a bilva tree (and vaṭa), then perform pradakṣiṇā with a focused mind and reverence—treating the act as Shiva-centered purification (prāyaścitta) rather than mere reading.