Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

शिवस्तुतिवर्णनम् (Śiva-stuti-varṇanam) — “Description of Hymns in Praise of Śiva”

Devanagari script

एवं वदंति वरदं सर्वावासं स्वयम्भुवम् । श्रुतयः श्रुतिसारज्ञं श्रुतिसारविदश्च ये

Transliteration

evaṃ vadaṃti varadaṃ sarvāvāsaṃ svayambhuvam | śrutayaḥ śrutisārajñaṃ śrutisāravidaśca ye

Translation

Ainsi les Śrutis (les Vedas) proclament le Seigneur Né de Lui‑même : dispensateur de grâces, demeure intime et refuge de tous, Lui qui connaît l’essence des Vedas. Et de même le disent ceux qui connaissent l’essence védique.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• vadanti: say
• vadanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• varadam: the boon-giver
• varadam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sarva-āvāsam: the abode of all
• sarva-āvāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + āvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सर्वावासः = सर्वेषां आवासः/आवासस्थानम्; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• svayam-bhuvam: the self-born
• svayam-bhuvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayam (अव्यय) + bhu (√bhū-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/प्रातिपदिकीकृत)
• Form: समासः: स्वयम्भुवः = स्वयम् भूः (self-born); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śrutayaḥ: the Śrutis (Vedas)
• śrutayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• śruti-sāra-jñam: knower of the essence of the Vedas
• śruti-sāra-jñam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: श्रुतिसारज्ञः = श्रुतेः सारं जानाति इति; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śruti-sāra-vidaḥ: knowers of the essence of the Vedas
• śruti-sāra-vidaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: श्रुतिसारविद् = श्रुतेः सारं वेत्ति; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is doctrinal rather than sthala-specific: Śiva is praised as Svayambhū (self-existent) and Sarvāvāsa (indwelling support), a template later localized in liṅga-sthalas as the immanent Lord who grants boons to devotees.

Significance: Frames pilgrimage as recognition of the all-indwelling Svayambhū; darśana is ultimately of the same Pati present in all shrines.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: varadaṃ sarvāvāsaṃ svayambhuvam | śrutayaḥ śrutisārajñaṃ śrutisāravidaśca ye

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shrutis (Vedas)

FAQs

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

It establishes Shiva as Svayambhu (self-existent) and Sarvāvāsa (indwelling refuge of all), affirmed by the Śrutis—so devotion to Shiva is aligned with the highest Vedic purport and leads toward liberation under the grace of Pati.

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

By calling Shiva the ‘abode of all’ and ‘boon-giver,’ the verse supports Saguna worship—such as Linga-upāsanā—as a valid approach to the all-pervading Lord whose presence is accessible through sacred form while remaining the Vedic essence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the inner-dweller (sarvāvāsa) while repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with reverence for Śruti, treating japa as a Veda-aligned path to grace and steadiness of mind.