Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

शिवलोकप्रवेशः

Entry into Śivaloka through successive gateways

Devanagari script

सहस्रयोजनायामां सुपूर्णां बहुकिंकरैः । ददर्श शंकरं सांबं तत्र विष्णुस्सुरेश्वरः

Transliteration

sahasrayojanāyāmāṃ supūrṇāṃ bahukiṃkaraiḥ | dadarśa śaṃkaraṃ sāṃbaṃ tatra viṣṇussureśvaraḥ

Translation

Là, Viṣṇu, seigneur des dieux, vit Śaṅkara, le Seigneur de bon augure, avec Ambā (Umā), dans une contrée longue de mille yojanas, entièrement remplie de nombreux serviteurs.

Word by Word

• सहस्र-योजन-आयामाम्: having a length of a thousand yojanas
• सहस्र-योजन-आयामाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of described object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रयोजनस्य आयामः)

• सुपूर्णाम्: completely full
• सुपूर्णाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• बहु-किंकरैः: with many attendants
• बहु-किंकरैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (बहवः किंकराः)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साम्बम्: with Umā (Sāmbā)
• साम्बम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of Śaṅkara)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अम्बया/उमया सह)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘there’)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुर-ईश्वरः: lord of the gods
• सुर-ईश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to विष्णुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva as “Sāṃba Śaṅkara”—Shiva inseparable from Umā (Śakti). In Shaiva Siddhanta, this underscores the complete Lord (Pati) revealed with His power, and that divine vision (darśana) arises by grace amid His cosmic retinue.

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

Though the scene is a personal (saguṇa) vision of Shiva with Umā, it supports saguṇa-upāsanā: devotees approach the Lord through form, attributes, and divine presence. Linga worship similarly offers a focused doorway to the same Shiva, whose fullness is expressed with Śakti and attendants.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is darśana-bhāvanā (contemplative visualization) of Sāṃba Śiva—mentally honoring Shiva with Umā while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by simple Shaiva marks like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) as a reminder of Shiva’s presence.