Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17
हिरण्यकशिपोः क्रोधः तथा देवप्रजाकदनम् — Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath and the Affliction of Devas and Beings
देवैश्च दैत्यैर्मुनिभिश्च सिद्धैस्त्वत्सृष्टजीवैर्बहुवाक्यतः किम् । स्वर्गे धरण्यां दिवसे निशायां नैवोर्द्ध्वतो नाप्यधतः प्रजेश
devaiśca daityairmunibhiśca siddhaistvatsṛṣṭajīvairbahuvākyataḥ kim | svarge dharaṇyāṃ divase niśāyāṃ naivorddhvato nāpyadhataḥ prajeśa
Ô Seigneur des créatures, à quoi bon tant de paroles ? Parmi les dieux, les daityas, les sages ou les siddhas—oui, parmi tous les êtres que Tu as créés—au ciel ou sur la terre, de jour comme de nuit, nul n’est ton égal : ni au-dessus ni au-dessous, ô Prajāpati.
A divine eulogist addressing Lord Śiva (within Sūta’s narration in the Rudra Saṃhitā)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga; it is a universal supremacy-statement (sarvottamatva) typical of Śaiva stuti passages.
Significance: Cultivates īśvara-bhāva: recognizing Śiva as unsurpassed across realms and times; supports surrender (śaraṇāgati) as the doorway to anugraha.
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: All-loka, all-time, all-direction framing (svarga/dharaṇī, day/night, above/below) asserting the Lord’s unmatched sovereignty.
FAQs
The verse asserts Śiva’s absolute supremacy as Pati (the Lord), declaring that across all realms and states—day/night, heaven/earth—no being equals Him. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this supports single-pointed devotion to the Highest Lord who transcends all categories of created existence.
By affirming that none among all created beings is equal to Śiva, the verse grounds Linga and Saguna worship as worship of the Supreme itself—not a lesser deity. The Linga becomes the accessible focus through which devotees honor the incomparable Pati present everywhere.
A practical takeaway is daily stuti with japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), accompanied by reverent remembrance of Śiva as unequaled in all directions and times; optionally, this can be supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva marks of steady devotion.