Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

ततो विज्ञाय देवेशं यथावच्छक्तिसंभवैः । मंत्रं महेश्वरं देवं तुष्टाव सुमहोदयम्

Transliteration

tato vijñāya deveśaṃ yathāvacchaktisaṃbhavaiḥ | maṃtraṃ maheśvaraṃ devaṃ tuṣṭāva sumahodayam

Translation

Alors, ayant compris comme il se doit le Seigneur des dieux—né de la juste manifestation de sa Śakti—il loua le Deva Maheśvara, magnanime et hautement auspicious, qui est lui-même le Mantra sacré.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे/अनन्तरं (ablatival/temporal adverb)

• विज्ञाय: having understood/known
• विज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• देव-ईशम्: the Lord of gods
• देव-ईशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानाम् ईशः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा-वत्: properly, as it should be
• यथा-वत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शक्ति-संभवैः: by power-born means/energies
• शक्ति-संभवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शक्तेः संभवाः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महेश्वरम्: the great Lord
• महेश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सु-महोदयम्: of very great glory/majesty
• सु-महोदयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महोदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सुमहान् उदयः/महौदयः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Recognition of the Lord as mantra-essence through śakti-manifestation (śakti-saṃbhava) leading to praise

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true worship begins after right recognition of Devaśa Shiva as Pati (the Lord) revealed through His Śakti; then the devotee naturally responds with stuti, aligning mind and speech with Shiva.

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

By calling Maheśvara “the Mantra,” the verse supports Saguna upāsanā: Shiva is approached through name, form, and mantra (often centered on the Liṅga), which become living gateways to the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with devotional praise is implied—especially Panchākṣarī-japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with focused contemplation that Shiva is mantra-svarūpa, followed by stotra or heartfelt stuti.