Shloka 68

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

चतुर्वक्त्रः स्वयं ब्रह्मा नरहत्यां व्यपोहति । दर्शनात्स्पर्शनात्सद्यश्चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदः

Transliteration

caturvaktraḥ svayaṃ brahmā narahatyāṃ vyapohati | darśanātsparśanātsadyaścaturvargaphalapradaḥ

Translation

Even the four-faced Brahmā himself removes the sin of brahmin-slaughter. By mere sight and by touch, it immediately bestows the fruits of the four human aims—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.

Word by Word

• चतुर्-वक्त्रः: four-faced
• चतुर्-वक्त्रः: विशेषण (adjectival modifier of ‘ब्रह्मा’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘four-faced’

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (emphatic modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), आत्मवाचक (oneself; personally)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (irregular nominative ‘ब्रह्मा’)

• नर-हत्याम्: the killing of a man; man-slaughter
• नर-हत्याम्: कर्म (Karma/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘man’ + ‘killing’

• व्यपोहति: removes; dispels
• व्यपोहति: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अप-ऊह्/अपोह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दर्शनात्: by seeing; from sight
• दर्शनात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause—ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from/by the act of seeing’

• स्पर्शनात्: by touching; from touch
• स्पर्शनात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause—ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from/by touch’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: क्रियाविशेषण (temporal modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: immediately)

• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदः: giver of the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदः: विधेय/विशेषण (predicate adjective of the subject—implied ‘(लिङ्गः/रुद्राक्षः)’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद तत्पुरुष: ‘(giver) of the fruits of the four aims (धर्म-अर्थ-काम-मोक्ष)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It declares the extraordinary purifying grace (anugraha) present in Shiva’s sacred form: even the gravest sins are dispelled, and the seeker is led toward the full spectrum of aims culminating in moksha.

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

The verse emphasizes tangible devotion—seeing (darśana) and touching (sparśana)—which are central to Saguna worship of the Shiva Linga, where Shiva’s presence is approached through consecrated form and rite.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular linga-darśana with reverent physical worship (sparśa through abhiṣeka/arcana as permitted), supported by japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” is implied as a direct means to purification and liberation.