Shloka 38

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

एकैकं कर्णयोः षट्षड्बाह्वोः षोडश षोडश । करयोरविमानेन द्विगुणेन मुनीश्वर

Transliteration

ekaikaṃ karṇayoḥ ṣaṭṣaḍbāhvoḥ ṣoḍaśa ṣoḍaśa | karayoravimānena dviguṇena munīśvara

Translation

O lord among sages, the count is thus: one for each of the two ears; six and six for the two arms; sixteen and sixteen for the other limbs; and for the two hands, twice that measure—such is the proper arrangement.

Word by Word

• eka-ekam: each, one by one
• eka-ekam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial avyayībhāva meaning distributive; used as indeclinable (प्रत्येकम्)

• karṇayoḥ: in the two ears
• karṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी) Dual (द्विवचन) (also Genitive dual possible by form); here locative: 'in/at the two ears'

• ṣaṭ-ṣaṭ: six and six
• ṣaṭ-ṣaṭ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used adverbially/reduplicated distributive: 'six each'

• bāhvoḥ: in the two arms
• bāhvoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी) Dual (द्विवचन) (also Genitive dual possible); here locative: 'in the two arms'

• ṣoḍaśa: sixteen
• ṣoḍaśa: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used adverbially: 'sixteen'

• ṣoḍaśa: sixteen
• ṣoḍaśa: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used adverbially: 'sixteen' (repeated for parallelism)

• karayoḥ: in the two hands
• karayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी) Dual (द्विवचन) (also Genitive dual possible); here locative: 'in the two hands'

• a-vimānena: by (its) immeasurability/without measure
• a-vimānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक) with a- (नञ्)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्-समास/negation: 'without measure' → 'by immeasurability' (contextual)

• dvi-guṇena: by doubling; twice
• dvi-guṇena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास; used adjectivally/adverbially 'by doubling/twice'

• munīśvara: O lord of sages
• munīśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः 'lord of sages'

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya in the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes niyama (disciplined correctness) in Śiva-upāsanā—devotion becomes steady and purifying when worship is performed with precise, reverent order rather than carelessness.

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

Such counted arrangements belong to saguna worship—serving Śiva through form, rite, and procedure—so the mind becomes one-pointed and fit to realize Śiva as Pati, the liberator of the bound soul.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow accurate counts and placement in Śiva-pūjā (often alongside Rudrākṣa, bhasma/Tripuṇḍra, and japa of the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) to cultivate attentiveness and purity.