Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

बृहस्पतिरुवाच । दीननाथ महादेव प्रणतं तव पादयोः । समुद्धर च शांतं स्वं क्रोधं नयनजं कुरु

Transliteration

bṛhaspatiruvāca | dīnanātha mahādeva praṇataṃ tava pādayoḥ | samuddhara ca śāṃtaṃ svaṃ krodhaṃ nayanajaṃ kuru

Translation

Bṛhaspati dit : « Ô Mahādeva, refuge des affligés, je me prosterne à Tes pieds. Relève et protège Ton dévot ; et apaise Ta propre colère — née de Tes yeux — en la rendant sereine. »

Word by Word

• bṛhaspatiḥ: Bṛhaspati
• bṛhaspatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bṛhaspati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु, वच्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• dīna-nātha: O lord of the distressed
• dīna-nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; ‘lord of the poor/distressed’

• mahādeva: O Mahādeva
• mahādeva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; ‘great god’

• praṇatām: the bowed one (me)
• praṇatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु, नम्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘one who has bowed’; object of ‘samuddhara’ (understood ‘me/us’)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; pronoun

• pādayoḥ: at (your) two feet
• pādayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• samuddhara: lift up / rescue
• samuddhara: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√hṛ (धातु, हृ)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śāntam: pacified
• śāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying ‘krodham’ as ‘pacified’

• svam: your own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; reflexive/possessive ‘your own’

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• nayana-jam: arisen from the eye
• nayana-jam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nayana (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘born from the eye’; qualifying ‘krodham’

• kuru: make / do
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु, कृ)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Brihaspati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Encapsulates the bhakta’s appeal to Śiva as dīnanātha (protector of the helpless) and the pacifier of divine wrath—teaching that surrender evokes anugraha and restores cosmic order.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: दीननाथ महादेव प्रणतं तव पादयोः । समुद्धर च शांतं स्वं क्रोधं नयनजं कुरु

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender) to Pati (Śiva): by bowing at His feet, the devotee seeks rescue and the transformation of destructive force (krodha) into śānti, reflecting Shiva’s grace as protector of the helpless.

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

Addressing Śiva as Mahādeva and Dinanātha emphasizes Saguna worship—approaching the compassionate Lord with form and qualities. In Linga worship, the same attitude is expressed by offering with humility and praying for śānti, recognizing Shiva as the immediate refuge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform Shiva-pūjā with a prayer for śānti—chanting the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while meditating on surrender at Shiva’s feet, seeking the calming of anger and agitation within oneself.