Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

सेवातत्त्वप्रश्नः — The Question of Whom to Serve (Sevā) for the Removal of Suffering

Devanagari script

विश्वकर्मन्यथा शंभोः कल्पयित्वा शुभानि च । लिंगानि सर्वदेवेभ्यो देयानि वचनान्मम

Transliteration

viśvakarmanyathā śaṃbhoḥ kalpayitvā śubhāni ca | liṃgāni sarvadevebhyo deyāni vacanānmama

Translation

「ヴィシュヴァカルマンよ、シャンブの様式に従って吉祥なるリンガを造り、我が命により、それらのリンガをすべての神々に授けよ。」

Word by Word

• विश्वकर्मन्: O Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मन्: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन्/विश्वकर्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यथा: as; according to
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘as/according to’)

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कल्पयित्वा: having made; having fashioned
• कल्पयित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप्/कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having fashioned/arranged’

• शुभानि: auspicious
• शुभानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of लिङ्गानि)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas
• लिङ्गानि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्व-देवेभ्यः: to all the gods
• सर्व-देवेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वे देवाः’ (collective)

• देयानि: should be given
• देयानि: विधेय (Predicate/vidhi)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive/तव्यत्-भाव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘to be given’ (agreeing with लिङ्गानि)

• वचनात्: by the command; from the word
• वचनात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मम: of me; my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishvakarman
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse presents the liṅga as an auspicious, accessible form of Śambhu for worship, indicating that even the Devas rely on Shiva’s saguna symbol to gain grace, protection, and spiritual steadiness toward liberation.

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

Brahma’s instruction to craft liṅgas “in the manner of Śambhu” affirms the liṅga as a sanctioned saguna support for devotion and ritual—an embodiment that anchors the mind and directs worship to Pati (Shiva), the supreme Lord beyond all gods.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies establishing a Shiva liṅga and performing regular pūjā—abhisheka, offering of bilva leaves, and japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as a steady devotional discipline.