Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

त्वं परः पुरुषस्स्वामी रजस्सत्त्वतमः परः । निर्गुणस्सगुणस्साक्षी निर्विकारी महाप्रभुः

Transliteration

tvaṃ paraḥ puruṣassvāmī rajassattvatamaḥ paraḥ | nirguṇassaguṇassākṣī nirvikārī mahāprabhuḥ

Translation

Engkau adalah Puruṣa Tertinggi, Tuhan Yang Mahakuasa—melampaui rajas, sattva, dan tamas. Engkau nirguṇa namun juga tampak sebagai saguṇa; Sang Saksi Kesadaran, tak berubah, Mahāprabhu.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परः: supreme, beyond
• परः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of त्वम्)

• पुरुषः: person, spirit (Puruṣa)
• पुरुषः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वामी: lord, master
• स्वामी: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रजः: rajas (passion)
• रजः: Karta-anvaya (समानााधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karta-anvaya (समानााधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तमः: tamas (darkness)
• तमः: Karta-anvaya (समानााधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (re-asserted)

• निर्गुणः: without qualities
• निर्गुणः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सगुणः: with qualities
• सगुणः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta-anvaya (समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्विकारी: unchanging
• निर्विकारी: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• महा-प्रभुः: great lord
• महा-प्रभुः: Karta-anvaya (समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् प्रभुः)

Speaker

Sati (praising Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: त्वं परः पुरुषस्स्वामी रजस्सत्त्वतमः परः । निर्गुणस्सगुणस्साक्षी निर्विकारी महाप्रभुः

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the Supreme Lord who transcends the three gunas yet graciously appears with attributes for devotees, remaining the changeless inner Witness (sākṣī) who grants liberation.

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

Though Shiva is nirguṇa (beyond limiting qualities), devotees approach Him as saguṇa through the Linga and sacred forms; the verse validates form-based worship as a compassionate manifestation of the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the sākṣī (witness) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and worship the Linga with steady bhakti—seeing Him as nirvikārī (unchanging) amid all mental fluctuations.