Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50
शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”
त्वं च लक्ष्मीमुपाश्रित्य कार्यं कर्तुमिहार्हसि । ब्रह्मंस्त्वं च गिरां देवीं प्रकृत्यंशामवाप्य च
tvaṃ ca lakṣmīmupāśritya kāryaṃ kartumihārhasi | brahmaṃstvaṃ ca girāṃ devīṃ prakṛtyaṃśāmavāpya ca
Et toi aussi, ô Brahmā, en prenant refuge en Lakṣmī, tu es vraiment apte à accomplir ici l’œuvre. Et toi encore, ayant obtenu la Déesse de la Parole (Vāk/Sarasvatī) ainsi qu’une part de Prakṛti, accomplis la tâche qui t’est assignée.
Lord Śiva (as the supreme regulator empowering Brahmā for creation)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Lalitā
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: appointment of sṛṣṭi through Brahmā empowered by śakti (Lakṣmī/Vāk) and prakṛti-aṃśa
FAQs
It shows that even Brahmā’s creative function depends on Śiva’s ordinance and Śakti’s support—prosperity (Lakṣmī), speech/knowledge (Vāk/Sarasvatī), and Prakṛti’s operative power—highlighting Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who enables ordered creation.
In Saguna worship, the Liṅga represents Śiva as the source of all energies; this verse echoes that all capacities—wealth, articulation of the Veda, and material causality—flow from Śiva’s sanction, so worship is oriented to the giver of śakti rather than the instruments.
A practical takeaway is Śiva-śaraṇāgati (taking refuge in Śiva) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and prayer for purified vāk (speech) and dharmic use of prosperity—using bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines where customary.