Shloka 54

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

अत एव महादेवि रुद्रा क्षोत्यघनाशनः । तद्धरो मत्प्रियः शुद्धोऽत्यघवानपि पार्वति

Transliteration

ata eva mahādevi rudrā kṣotyaghanāśanaḥ | taddharo matpriyaḥ śuddho'tyaghavānapi pārvati

Translation

Therefore, O Mahādevī, the Rudrākṣa is a destroyer of sin. Whoever wears it is dear to Me; even if he has committed very great sins, he becomes purified, O Pārvatī.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• mahādevi: O great goddess
• mahādevi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती देवी)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṣoti: destroys, wears away
• kṣoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣu (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √kṣu = क्षरणे/क्षये (to destroy/waste away)

• agha-nāśanaḥ: destroyer of sin
• agha-nāśanaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अघस्य नाशनः)

• tat-dharaḥ: bearer of that (mark/ash)
• tat-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तत् धरति)

• mat-priyaḥ: dear to me
• mat-priyaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मम प्रियः)

• śuddhaḥ: pure
• śuddhaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ati-aghavān: even very sinful
• ati-aghavān: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + aghavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तम् अघवान्)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• pārvati: O Pārvatī
• pārvati: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: Pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General tīrtha-logic: rudrākṣa as portable ‘tīrtha’—a grace-medium that purifies beyond ordinary expiation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Rudraksha

FAQs

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

This verse declares Rudrākṣa as a Shaiva purifier: by association with Shiva (Pati) and sincere devotion, the wearer is made fit for spiritual progress even if burdened by heavy past sins.

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

Rudrākṣa functions as a Saguna mark of belonging to Shiva’s path—like Linga worship, it is an external support that steadies inner bhakti and remembrance of Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wearing Rudrākṣa with reverence while maintaining Shiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) and japa—especially of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—is the implied practice.