Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

मङ्गलाचरणम्, तीर्थ-परिसरः, सूतागमनम् — Invocation, Sacred Setting, and the Arrival of Sūta

Devanagari script

रौद्रकादशकाख्यं यत्कैलासं षट्सहस्रकम् । शतरुद्रं त्रिसाहस्रं कोटिरुद्रं ततः परम्

Transliteration

raudrakādaśakākhyaṃ yatkailāsaṃ ṣaṭsahasrakam | śatarudraṃ trisāhasraṃ koṭirudraṃ tataḥ param

Translation

La section dite « Raudra-kādaśaka » est la portion de Kailāsa, composée de six mille vers. La portion Śatarudra en compte trois mille ; et au-delà se trouve la portion Kōṭirudra.

Word by Word

• रौद्रक-अदशक-आख्यम्: named ‘Raudraka-adaśaka’
• रौद्रक-अदशक-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्रक (प्रातिपदिक) + अदशक (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (रौद्रकादशकस्य आख्यम्) = ‘named Raudraka-adaśaka’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कैलासम्: Kailāsa
• कैलासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम

• षट्-सहस्रकम्: six thousand
• षट्-सहस्रकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः = ‘six-thousand (amount)’

• शत-रुद्रम्: Śatarudra (hundred-Rudra)
• शत-रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः = ‘hundred-Rudra (set/amount)’

• त्रि-साहस्रम्: three thousand
• त्रि-साहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः = ‘three-thousand’

• कोटि-रुद्रम्: Koṭirudra (ten-million Rudras)
• कोटि-रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय तत्पुरुषः (कोट्या रुद्रः/कोटिरुद्रः) = ‘Koti-rudra’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक

• परम्: next; further
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights how the Purana is deliberately organized into graded sections, guiding the seeker from devotional praise of Rudra toward deeper Shaiva understanding—ultimately orienting the mind to Pati (Shiva) as the supreme refuge.

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

By naming major sections like Kailasha, Shatarudra, and Kotirudra, it points readers to bodies of teaching where Saguna Shiva is praised and approached through scripture, pilgrimage themes, and forms of Rudra—supporting Linga-centered devotion and reverence for Shiva’s manifest aspects.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse itself is classificatory, but the implied takeaway is disciplined svādhyāya (scriptural recitation/reading) of Shiva-focused sections, ideally accompanied by Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") as a Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned daily practice.