Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation

Devanagari script

ददौ प्रसूतिं दक्षायोत्तानपादानुजां सुताः । तासां प्रसूतिप्रसवैस्सर्वं व्याप्तं चराचरम्

Transliteration

dadau prasūtiṃ dakṣāyottānapādānujāṃ sutāḥ | tāsāṃ prasūtiprasavaissarvaṃ vyāptaṃ carācaram

Translation

ಮನು ಉತ್ತಾನಪಾದನ ಅನೂಜೆಯಾದ ಪುತ್ರಿ ಪ್ರಸೂತಿಯನ್ನು ದಕ್ಷನಿಗೆ ಪತ್ನಿಯಾಗಿ ನೀಡಿದನು. ಪ್ರಸೂತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಅವಳ ಸಂತಾನದ ಪ್ರಸವಗಳಿಂದ ಚರಾಚರ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಜಗತ್ತು ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತವಾಯಿತು.

Word by Word

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• prasūtim: Prasūti
• prasūtim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dakṣāya: to Dakṣa
• dakṣāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• uttānapādānujām: the younger sister of Uttānapāda
• uttānapādānujām: Karma (कर्म/appositive object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttānapāda + anujā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (genitive relation: uttānapādasya anujā), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to prasūtim

• sutāḥ: daughters
• sutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tāsām: of them
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• prasūti-prasavaiḥ: by the births/offspring of Prasūti
• prasūti-prasavaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasūti + prasava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (genitive relation: prasūteḥ prasavaiḥ), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• vyāptam: pervaded, filled
• vyāptam: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpta < √āp (आप् धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); predicate adjective of sarvam

• carācaram: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)
• carācaram: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara: caraḥ ca acaraḥ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); in apposition to sarvam

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: expansion of the moving and unmoving universe through Dakṣa–Prasūti progeny (prajā-sarga)

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Prasuti
• Uttanapada

FAQs

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

It frames worldly creation (the chara–achara universe) as unfolding through ordained lineages, implying that all manifested life operates within Shiva’s cosmic order (niyati) even when the narrative speaks through genealogies.

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

By showing the universe as ‘pervaded’ through manifest creation, the verse supports Saguna Shiva devotion: the devotee reveres Shiva as immanent in the entire charachara world, worshipped symbolically in the Linga as the all-pervading Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate Shiva-bhakti by seeing all beings as pervaded by divine order, and to steady the mind with japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while practicing reverence toward all life.