Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

ततस्तत्त्वमसीत्युक्तं महावाक्यं हरस्य च । पञ्चमंत्रांस्तथा लब्ध्वा जजाप भगवान्हरिः

Transliteration

tatastattvamasītyuktaṃ mahāvākyaṃ harasya ca | pañcamaṃtrāṃstathā labdhvā jajāpa bhagavānhariḥ

Translation

ನಂತರ ‘ತತ್ತ್ವಮಸಿ’ ಎಂಬ ಮಹಾವಾಕ್ಯವನ್ನು ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಲಾಯಿತು; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಹರನ ಐದು ಮಂತ್ರಗಳೂ ಲಭಿಸಿದವು. ಅವನ್ನು ಪಡೆದ ಭಗವಾನ್ ಹರಿಯು ಜಪವನ್ನು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Discourse marker (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (then/thereafter)

• तत्त्वम्: truth/that-ness
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उद्धरणे (quoted)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (said/declared)

• महावाक्यम्: the great saying (mahāvākya)
• महावाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् वाक्यम्)

• हरस्य: of Hara (Śiva)
• हरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पञ्चमन्त्रान्: five mantras
• पञ्चमन्त्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च मन्त्राः)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Connector (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यवृत्ति (also/likewise)

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having obtained)

• जजाप: he recited
• जजाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: tattvam asi

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It shows that even Hari (Viṣṇu) approaches Hara (Śiva) through received mantra and disciplined japa, indicating that liberation-oriented knowledge (mahāvākya) becomes fruitful when anchored in Śiva-mantra practice under proper transmission.

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

By emphasizing “Hara’s mantras” and japa, the verse points to Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—devotional and ritual mantra-repetition commonly connected in the Purāṇa tradition with worship of Śiva’s manifest presence, including the Liṅga, as a means to realize the highest truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-dīkṣā (receiving the mantra) followed by regular japa of Śiva’s mantras—classically supported with purity disciplines such as vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa in Śaiva practice when appropriate.