Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवं प्रबोधितस्तेन शम्भुना नन्दिकेश्वरः । विवेकपरमो भूत्वा शांतोऽभूत्क्रोधवर्जितः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | evaṃ prabodhitastena śambhunā nandikeśvaraḥ | vivekaparamo bhūtvā śāṃto'bhūtkrodhavarjitaḥ

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—ശംഭു (ഭഗവാൻ ശിവൻ) ഇങ്ങനെ ഉപദേശിച്ചതോടെ നന്ദികേശ്വരൻ വിവേകത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതനായി; അവൻ ശാന്തനായി, ക്രോധരഹിതനായി.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रबोधितः: (he) having been instructed
• प्रबोधितः: कर्तृ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-बुध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been instructed/awakened’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Nandikeśvara
• नन्दिकेश्वरः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; नन्दि + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नन्देः ईश्वरः)

• विवेक-परमः: having discernment as supreme
• विवेक-परमः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवेक-परम (प्रातिपदिक; विवेक + परम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विवेकः परमः यस्य/विवेकं परमं मन्यते)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having become’

• शान्तः: peaceful
• शान्तः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• क्रोध-वर्जितः: free from anger
• क्रोध-वर्जितः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध-वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; क्रोध + वर्जित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्रोधेन वर्जितः/क्रोधं वर्जितः)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Śiva’s guidance leads the devotee from reactive passion (krodha) to viveka (spiritual discernment) and śānti (inner peace), a key Shaiva Siddhanta ideal where the Lord (Pati) refines the devotee (paśu) toward liberation.

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

Nandikeśvara’s transformation happens through direct instruction from Śambhu—Saguna Śiva as the compassionate Guru. In Linga-worship, the same principle applies: devotion and surrender before the Linga are meant to purify the mind, reducing anger and establishing steadiness in dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is krodha-śamana through japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with mindful restraint, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to return to calm discernment.