Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

देवस्तुतिवर्णनम् (Deva-stuti-varṇana) — “Description of the Gods’ Hymn/Praise”

Devanagari script

अथागतां शिवां दृष्ट्वा सर्वे विष्ण्वादयो द्रुतम् । प्रणेमुरतिनम्रास्ते विस्मिता गतसंभ्रमाः

Transliteration

athāgatāṃ śivāṃ dṛṣṭvā sarve viṣṇvādayo drutam | praṇemuratinamrāste vismitā gatasaṃbhramāḥ

Translation

Alors, voyant Śivā, la Déesse, arriver, tous—à commencer par Viṣṇu—se prosternèrent aussitôt. Dans une profonde humilité, ils rendirent hommage, émerveillés, et toute agitation, toute confusion s’apaisa.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक (then)

• आगताम्: arrived
• आगताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (having come/arrived)

• शिवाम्: Śivā (the Goddess)
• शिवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); धातु: दृश्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• विष्ण्वादयः: Viṣṇu and others
• विष्ण्वादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (विष्णुः आदिः येषाम् = Viṣṇu and others); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• प्रणेमुः: bowed down
• प्रणेमुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अतिनम्राः: very humble
• अतिनम्राः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + नम्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (अतिशयेन नम्राः = very humble); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विस्मिताः: astonished
• विस्मिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण (astonished)

• गतसंभ्रमाः: free from confusion
• गतसंभ्रमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत + संभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (गतः संभ्रमः येषाम् = whose agitation/confusion has gone); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Shiva (as Śivā/Śakti)

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the highest devas, including Viṣṇu, become naturally humble before Śiva-Śakti; true spiritual maturity is marked by surrender, reverence, and the calming of inner disturbance (saṃbhrama) in the presence of the Divine.

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

The verse reflects Saguna devotion—recognizing the manifest Divine as worthy of immediate prostration. In Śaiva practice, reverence to the Liṅga is inseparable from honoring Śiva’s Śakti, since Śiva and Śakti are understood as non-separate in divine function and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice namaskāra and mental surrender: begin worship with prostration, steady the mind, and recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to dissolve agitation and establish composed devotion.