Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

अप्रमेयमनाधारमविकारमनाकृति । निर्गुणं योगिगम्यञ्च सर्वव्याप्येककारकम्

Transliteration

aprameyamanādhāramavikāramanākṛti | nirguṇaṃ yogigamyañca sarvavyāpyekakārakam

Translation

Il est incommensurable et sans appui ; immuable et sans forme. Il est Nirguṇa (au-delà des guṇa), accessible aux yogin, omniprésent, et l’unique Cause suprême de tout ce qui advient.

Word by Word

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable
• अप्रमेयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनाधारम्: without support/substratum
• अनाधारम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अविकारम्: unchanging
• अविकारम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनाकृति: formless
• अनाकृति: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पाठभेदे नपुंसक-रूपं अनाकृतिम् अपेक्षितम्); विशेषण

• निर्गुणम्: without qualities
• निर्गुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• योगिगम्यम्: attainable by yogins
• योगिगम्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिन् + गम्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; गम्य = √गम् (धातु) + यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/पुं-नपुंसक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yogins' attainable/knowable)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• सर्वव्यापि: all-pervading
• सर्वव्यापि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (all-pervading)

• एककारकम्: the single cause/agent
• एककारकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (single cause/agent)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who is beyond measurement, change, and material qualities, yet realizable by yogic insight—teaching that liberation comes by knowing the all-pervading, attributeless Reality.

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

Though Shiva is described as formless (nirguṇa, anākṛti), the Shiva Purana upholds saguna-upāsanā through the Linga as a sacred support for meditation—guiding devotees from form-based worship toward realization of the formless Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the all-pervading, changeless Cause while repeating the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"); for householders, this can be paired with Linga worship and Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as aids to steady contemplation.