Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

देवस्तुतिः (Devastuti) — Hymn/Praise of the Devas

Devanagari script

नमो वेदस्वरूपाय वेदवक्त्रे नमो नमः । सदाचाराध्वगम्याय सदाचाराध्वगामिने

Transliteration

namo vedasvarūpāya vedavaktre namo namaḥ | sadācārādhvagamyāya sadācārādhvagāmine

Translation

Sembah sujud kepada Dia yang berwujud Veda; sembah sujud berulang-ulang kepada Sang Pengucap Veda. Sembah sujud kepada Dia yang dicapai melalui jalan sadācāra (laku benar), dan sembah sujud kepada Dia yang sendiri menapaki jalan sadācāra.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interjection/particle (नमस्कारार्थक निपात)

• veda-svarūpāya: to (the one) whose form is the Veda
• veda-svarūpāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): वेदानां स्वरूपः = वेदस्वरूपः

• veda-vaktre: to the speaker of the Vedas
• veda-vaktre: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktr̥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): वेदानां वक्ता = वेदवक्ता

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interjection/particle (नमस्कारार्थक निपात)

• namaḥ: salutation (again)
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic repetition (पुनरुक्ति-नमस्कार)

• sad-ācāra-adhva-gamyāya: to the one attainable by the path of good conduct
• sad-ācāra-adhva-gamyāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + adhvan (प्रातिपदिक) + gamya (कृदन्त; √gam गम्)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास: सदाचारस्य अध्वा (मार्गः) तेन गम्यः = सदाचाराध्वगम्यः

• sad-ācāra-adhva-gāmine: to the one who proceeds on the path of good conduct
• sad-ācāra-adhva-gāmine: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + adhvan (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (कृदन्त; √gam गम्)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास: सदाचारस्य अध्वनि गामी = सदाचाराध्वगामी

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn/utterance within the Yuddha Khaṇḍa context to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it asserts Śiva as Veda itself and as the Veda’s speaker, and as both the goal and exemplar of sadācāra (right conduct).

Significance: Highlights the Śaiva Siddhānta emphasis on caryā (ethical discipline) and kriyā (ritual) as the path by which the paśu approaches Pati; Śiva is both the upāya (means) and upeya (goal).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमो वेदस्वरूपाय वेदवक्त्रे नमो नमः । सदाचाराध्वगम्याय सदाचाराध्वगामिने

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises Shiva as both the very essence of sacred revelation (Veda) and the compassionate teacher of it, emphasizing that liberation-oriented devotion must be supported by sadācāra—ethical and disciplined living that purifies the pashu (bound soul) to approach Pati (Shiva).

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

In Saguna worship—such as Linga-pūjā—Shiva is approached as the accessible Lord who accepts Vedic praise and dharmic conduct; the verse frames worship as not merely ritual, but a life aligned with righteous discipline, through which the devotee becomes fit for Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt sadācāra as a daily sādhana: begin Linga worship with Vedic-style salutations, maintain purity and truthfulness, and repeat Shiva’s name/mantra (e.g., the Panchākṣarī) with the intention that disciplined conduct and devotion together make one fit to attain Shiva.