Shloka 25

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे प्रथमायां विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखण्डे रुद्रा क्षमहात्म्यवर्णनोनाम पञ्चविंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe prathamāyāṃ vidyeśvarasaṃhitāyāṃ sādhyasādhanakhaṇḍe rudrā kṣamahātmyavarṇanonāma pañcaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

かくして『シュリー・シヴァ・マハープラーナ』第一（ヴィディエーシュヴァラ）サンヒターのサーディヤサーダナ・カンダにおける、「ルドラークシャの功徳の叙述」と題する第二十五章は終わる。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: समाप्त्यर्थक/उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus/end marker)

• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + शिव + महापुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः श्रीशिवस्य महापुराणम् (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

• प्रथमायाम्: in the first
• प्रथमायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (संहितायाम्)

• विद्येश्वरसंहितायाम्: in the Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā
• विद्येश्वरसंहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्येश्वर + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः विद्येश्वरस्य संहिता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• साध्यसाधनखण्डे: in the section on goals and means
• साध्यसाधनखण्डे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य + साधन + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः साध्यं च साधनं च (द्वन्द्वः) तयोः खण्डः (तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः)

• रुद्राक्षमहात्म्यवर्णनः: the narration of the greatness of rudrākṣa
• रुद्राक्षमहात्म्यवर्णनः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष + महात्म्य + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः रुद्राक्षस्य महात्म्यस्य वर्णनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-परम्परा)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘named/called’)

• पञ्चविंशः: twenty-fifth
• पञ्चविंशः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक/संख्यावाचक; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च + विंशति)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon (iti…): textual closure identifying the Śiva Purāṇa section (Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā), the Sādhyasādhanakhaṇḍa, and the chapter title on rudrākṣa-māhātmya.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

This is the chapter-colophon marking the completion of the “Rudrākṣa Mahātmya” teaching, emphasizing that Rudrākṣa is presented in the Shiva Purana as a Shaiva sādhana (means) supportive of devotion, purity, and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By closing a chapter on Rudrākṣa within the Vidyeśvara Saṃhitā (which centers on Shiva-worship), it frames Rudrākṣa as an aid for Saguna Shiva upāsanā—supporting japa, dhyāna, and disciplined worship connected to the Linga tradition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The title itself points to Rudrākṣa-based practice: wearing Rudrākṣa and using it for mantra-japa (especially Shaiva mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), typically alongside Shaiva observances like bhasma/tripundra where taught.