Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

बाणासुरस्य क्रोधाज्ञा तथा अन्तःपुरयुद्धारम्भः

Bāṇāsura’s Wrathful Command and the Onset of Battle at the Inner Palace

Devanagari script

सर्वस्यांतर्गतः स्वामी प्रेरकस्सर्वतः परः । निर्विकार्यव्ययो नित्यो मायाधीशोपि निर्गुणः

Transliteration

sarvasyāṃtargataḥ svāmī prerakassarvataḥ paraḥ | nirvikāryavyayo nityo māyādhīśopi nirguṇaḥ

Translation

彼は万有の内に住する主、内なる प्रेरक（促し手）でありながら、なお一切を超越する。変異なく、滅びなく、常住である。マーヤーの主でありつつも、グナを超えたニルグナとして在す。

Word by Word

• sarvasya: of all
• sarvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समासार्थे, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• antargataḥ: entered within; indwelling
• antargataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antar (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-प्रातिपदिक) + gata (गम्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• svāmī: lord
• svāmī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/प्रधान

• prerakaḥ: impeller/instigator
• prerakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-īr (धातु) + aka (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-नाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sarvataḥ: in every way/from everywhere
• sarvataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), सर्वतः = “from all sides/ways”

• paraḥ: supreme/transcendent
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• nirvikāryaḥ: unchangeable
• nirvikāryaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + vikārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; “without change/without modification”

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (निषेध) + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• nityaḥ: eternal
• nityaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• māyā-adhīśaḥ: lord over māyā
• māyā-adhīśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/प्रधान

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अपि = “also/even”

• nirguṇaḥ: without qualities (beyond guṇas)
• nirguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy to the sages at Naimisharanya within the Rudrasaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maya

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is both the indwelling Lord (antaryāmin) who governs all from within and the transcendent Supreme who is untouched by change—pointing the seeker toward liberation by realizing Shiva beyond the guṇas and beyond Māyā.

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

The Liṅga is worshiped as the visible, saguna support for devotion, while this verse clarifies the ultimate truth: the very same Shiva is nirguṇa—beyond qualities—so saguna worship culminates in realizing His formless, transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner witness and impeller while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); support the practice with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders that the Lord of Māyā is nevertheless nirguṇa and ever-pure.