Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

महेश उवाच । हे ब्रह्मन्हे सुरास्सर्वे मद्वाक्यं शृणुतादरात् । मोहिनी सर्वलोकानां मम माया दुरत्यया

Transliteration

maheśa uvāca | he brahmanhe surāssarve madvākyaṃ śṛṇutādarāt | mohinī sarvalokānāṃ mama māyā duratyayā

Translation

マヘーシャは言われた。「おおブラフマーよ、そして諸天よ、我が言葉を敬って聴け。このモーヒニー、あらゆる世界を惑わす者は、我がマーヤーであり、越え難きものだ。」

Word by Word

• महेशः: Mahesha (Śiva)
• महेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) सुराः इति

• मत्-वाक्यम्: my statement/words
• मत्-वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम वाक्यम्)

• शृणुत: listen
• शृणुत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आदरात्: with respect / attentively
• आदरात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—‘आदरात्’ = आदरेण/आदरपूर्वकम्

• मोहिनी: Mohinī (the enchantress)
• मोहिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्व-लोकानाम्: of all worlds/beings
• सर्व-लोकानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वे लोकाः)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• माया: (divine) illusion/power
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुरत्यया: hard to cross/overcome
• दुरत्यया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + अति + इ (धातु) → अत्यय (प्रातिपदिक); दुरत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) माया इति; अर्थः—दुरतिक्रमा

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Mahesha)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Devas
• Mohini

FAQs

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

The verse asserts Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose māyā can enchant the entire cosmos; liberation arises not by opposing māyā through ego, but by taking refuge in Shiva’s grace and right knowledge that pierces delusion.

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

By declaring Mohinī to be ‘my māyā,’ Shiva is revealed as the sovereign of manifestation; worship of the Śiva-liṅga (Saguna support for Nirguna reality) steadies the mind, weakens delusion, and orients the devotee toward the Lord beyond māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is attentive śravaṇa (listening) to Shiva’s teachings and steady japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to overcome मोह (delusion), supported by disciplined worship such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa where appropriate.