Shloka 40

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

शिरसीशानमंत्रेण कर्णे तत्पुरुषेण च । अघोरेण गले धार्यं तेनैव हृदयेपि च

Transliteration

śirasīśānamaṃtreṇa karṇe tatpuruṣeṇa ca | aghoreṇa gale dhāryaṃ tenaiva hṛdayepi ca

Translation

With the Īśāna mantra one should touch and sanctify the head; with the Tatpuruṣa mantra, the ears. With the Aghora mantra it should be applied at the throat, and with that very same Aghora mantra, at the heart as well.

Word by Word

• śirasi: on the head
• śirasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśāna-mantrena: with the Īśāna mantra
• īśāna-mantrena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (īśānasya mantraḥ)

• karṇe: in/on the ear
• karṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatpuruṣeṇa: with the Tatpuruṣa (mantra)
• tatpuruṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tatpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• aghoreṇa: with (the mantra) Aghora
• aghoreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gale: on the throat/neck
• gale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhāryam: is to be worn/placed
• dhāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्-कृत्य), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); sense: “should be worn/placed”

• tena: with that
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• hṛdaye: in/on the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied pañcabrahma-mantras:) Īśāna, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora (explicitly named here; others in adjacent verses).

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-nyāsa: consecrating the body as Śiva’s abode by placing specific Śaiva mantras on key centers (head, ears, throat, heart), aligning outer ritual with inner purification in a Śaiva Siddhānta spirit.

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

Nyāsa prepares the devotee to worship Saguna Śiva (as Liṅga and as the five-faced Lord) by making the worshipper’s body-mind a fit vessel, so the Liṅga-pūjā becomes inward as well as outward.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Panchabrahma-mantra nyāsa (touching/placing mantra-awareness on head, ears, throat, and heart), commonly done before Liṅga-pūjā, japa, or meditation—often alongside bhasma/tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa observances.