Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29
देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas
Devastuti
त्वं परः प्रकृतेर्ब्रह्म पुरुषात्परमेश्वर । निर्गुणस्त्रिगुणाधारो ब्रह्मविष्णुहरात्मकः
tvaṃ paraḥ prakṛterbrahma puruṣātparameśvara | nirguṇastriguṇādhāro brahmaviṣṇuharātmakaḥ
Tu es le Brahman suprême, transcendant Prakṛti ; ô Parameśvara, Tu es au-delà même de Puruṣa. Bien que Tu sois nirguṇa (au-delà des qualités), Tu es le support des trois guṇa et Tu te manifestes comme l’essence en Brahmā, Viṣṇu et Hara.
A devotee/praiser addressing Lord Śiva (stuti within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narrative, as relayed by Sūta to the sages)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī as the place where Śiva is Viśvanātha, the inner Self of all; the verse’s ‘brahma-viṣṇu-harātmaka’ resonates with Kāśī’s theology of Śiva as the indwelling Lord beyond guṇas.
Significance: Darśana in Kāśī is traditionally linked with jñāna and mokṣa; here, Śiva is praised as nirguṇa yet the ground of all guṇic functions, supporting liberation through right knowledge.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Offering: dipa
FAQs
It proclaims Śiva as Pati—the Supreme Reality beyond both Prakṛti (nature) and Puruṣa—while also being the inner support that empowers all cosmic functions, guiding the seeker to liberation through devotion to the One Lord behind all forms.
The verse bridges nirguṇa and saguṇa: Śiva is beyond attributes, yet He becomes approachable through manifestations (including the Liṅga) and through His workings as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra—so Liṅga-worship is devotion to the transcendent made present.
Meditate on Śiva as the substratum of the three guṇas while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is performed; offer bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and maintain guṇa-transcending inner stillness, seeing all powers as resting in Parameśvara.