Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 56

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

वैकुण्ठोऽपि स्वलोकस्थो भ्रष्टमोहस्सुबोधवान् । सुखी चाभून्मुनिश्रेष्ठ पूर्ववत्संस्मरञ्छिवम्

Transliteration

vaikuṇṭho'pi svalokastho bhraṣṭamohassubodhavān | sukhī cābhūnmuniśreṣṭha pūrvavatsaṃsmarañchivam

Translation

Ô le plus excellent des sages, même Vaikuṇṭha, demeurant en son propre séjour, fut délivré de l’illusion, obtint une claire intelligence et redevint heureux comme auparavant en se souvenant du Seigneur Śiva.

Word by Word

• वैकुण्ठः: Vaikuṇṭha (Viṣṇu)
• वैकुण्ठः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• स्वलोकस्थः: dwelling in his own world
• स्वलोकस्थः: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + लोक + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—स्वलोक = स्वस्य लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), स्वलोकस्थ = स्वलोके स्थितः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• भ्रष्टमोहः: freed from delusion
• भ्रष्टमोहः: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट + मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—भ्रष्टः मोहः यस्य (or ‘भ्रष्ट-मोहः’ = whose delusion has fallen)

• सुबोधवान्: well-informed/clear-minded
• सुबोधवान्: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुबोधवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—मुनिश्रेष्ठ = मुनीनां श्रेष्ठः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु) → संस्मरन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva is presented as a direct means to moha-nivṛtti (removal of delusion) and sukha-prāpti (inner well-being), implying that pilgrimage is ultimately interiorized as recollection of Pati.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vaikuntha

FAQs

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

It teaches that moha (delusion) is removed and true clarity arises through Śiva-smaraṇa; by turning the mind to Pati (Śiva), the bound soul regains peace and right understanding through His grace.

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

Remembering Śiva is sustained by Saguna upāsanā—such as worshiping the Śiva-liṅga, contemplating His auspicious form, and recalling His names—so the mind becomes steady and delusion falls away.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily Śiva-smaraṇa through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and brief mental recollection of Śiva before sleep and upon waking—supported by simple liṅga-pūjā if possible.