Shloka 1

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । शौनकर्षे महाप्राज्ञ शिवरूपमहापते । शृणु रुद्रा क्षमाहात्म्यं समासात्कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śaunakarṣe mahāprājña śivarūpamahāpate | śṛṇu rudrā kṣamāhātmyaṃ samāsātkathayāmyaham

Translation

Sūta dit : Ô descendant de Śaunaka, ô très sage, ô Seigneur sublime dont la forme même est Śiva, écoute. Je vais maintenant exposer brièvement la grandeur et la puissance sacrée de Kṣamā (patience et pardon), selon la tradition de Rudra.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta (the narrator)
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said/spoke
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śaunakarṣe: O Śaunakarṣi
• śaunakarṣe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunakarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahāprājña: O greatly wise one
• mahāprājña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahāprājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying the addressee

• śivarūpa-mahāpate: O great lord of Śiva-form
• śivarūpa-mahāpate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mahāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'of Śiva-form' + 'great lord'

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• rudrākṣa: O Rudrākṣa
• rudrākṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: rudra + akṣa

• kṣamāhātmyam: the greatness of forgiveness
• kṣamāhātmyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamāhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'the greatness of forgiveness'

• samāsāt: briefly
• samāsāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial usage; Ablative-form used adverbially: 'in brief/briefly'

• kathayāmi: I narrate/tell
• kathayāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kathaya (धातु; denom. from kathā)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Shaunaka

FAQs

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

This verse introduces kṣamā (forbearance/forgiveness) as a Shiva-like virtue that purifies the devotee’s mind, supports dharma, and prepares one for Shiva’s grace—central to liberation-oriented Shaiva practice.

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

By calling the listener “śivarūpa,” the text links inner transformation with outer worship: Linga/Saguna Shiva devotion is meant to cultivate Shiva’s qualities—especially calmness and forgiveness—so worship becomes a means of inner purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice implied is śravaṇa (reverent listening) and cultivating kṣamā as a daily vrata; in Shaiva discipline this pairs naturally with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and a sattvic restraint that reduces anger and karmic bondage.