Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

गणेशोत्पत्ति-प्रसङ्गः / Episode on the Origin of Gaṇeśa (Śvetakalpa Account)

Devanagari script

सर्वावयवनिर्द्दोषं सर्वावयव सुन्दरम् । विशालं सर्वशोभाढ्यं महाबलपराक्रमम्

Transliteration

sarvāvayavanirddoṣaṃ sarvāvayava sundaram | viśālaṃ sarvaśobhāḍhyaṃ mahābalaparākramam

Translation

അവൻ ഓരോ അവയവത്തിലും നിർദോഷനും, ഓരോ ഭാഗത്തിലും സുന്ദരനും, വിശാലവും മഹിമയുമുള്ളവനും, സർവ്വശോഭകളാൽ അലങ്കൃതനും, മഹാബലവും വീരപരാക്രമവും സമ്പന്നനുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सर्वावयव-निर्दोषम्: faultless in all limbs
• सर्वावयव-निर्दोषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

• सर्व-अवयव: having all limbs
• सर्व-अवयव: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

• सुन्दरम्: beautiful
• सुन्दरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

• विशालम्: vast, large
• विशालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

• सर्व-शोभा-आढ्यम्: rich in all splendor
• सर्व-शोभा-आढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

• महाबल-पराक्रमम्: of great strength and valor
• महाबल-पराक्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; adjectival)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Kartikeya
• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse presents a Saguna (manifest) vision of the divine—faultless, radiant, and powerful—so the devotee’s mind can rest on an uplifting form and mature from admiration into steady bhakti and inner purity (śuddhi), which supports liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

While the Linga points to Shiva’s transcendent reality, the Purana also sanctifies devotion to manifest divine forms. Describing such perfection trains the mind in reverent contemplation (dhyāna) and devotion, which ultimately leads the worshipper back to Shiva as Pati, the supreme Lord beyond all limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use this description for form-based meditation (dhyāna): visualize the deity as flawless and radiant, then offer mental worship (mānasa-pūjā). Pair it with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to anchor the mind in Shiva-bhakti.