Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 68

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मेन्द्रोपेन्द्रविष्ण्वाद्यैरपि देवैरगोचरम् । वेदविद्भिर्हि वेदांते त्वगोचर मिति स्मृतम्

Transliteration

brahmendropendraviṣṇvādyairapi devairagocaram | vedavidbhirhi vedāṃte tvagocara miti smṛtam

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാ, ഇന്ദ്രൻ, ഉപേന്ദ്രൻ (വാമനൻ), വിഷ്ണു മുതലായ ദേവന്മാർക്കും അവൻ അഗോചരൻ. വേദജ്ഞർ വേദാന്തത്തിൽ ആ തത്ത്വത്തെ ‘അഗോചരം’—ഇന്ദ്രിയ-മനസ്സുകൾക്ക് അവിഷയം—എന്ന് സ്മരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-उपेन्द्र-विष्णु-आद्यैः: by Brahmā, Indra, Upendra, Viṣṇu and others
• ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-उपेन्द्र-विष्णु-आद्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (ब्रह्मेन्द्रउपेन्द्रविष्ण्वादयः) तेषां तृतीया बहुवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; करण-कारक

• अगोचरम्: not accessible to the senses/mind
• अगोचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तत्/देवम् इत्यादि संदर्भे)

• वेद-विद्भिः: by the knowers of the Veda
• वेद-विद्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् ‘to know’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वेदं वेत्ति)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• वेद-अन्ते: in the Vedānta (end of the Veda)
• वेद-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य अन्तः)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• अगोचरम्: inaccessible
• अगोचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; इति-उद्धरणे पदम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(it is) remembered/declared’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Indra
• Upendra (Vamana)
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord (Śiva as Pati) transcends sensory and mental grasp; even cosmic deities cannot fully ‘know’ Him as an object. Liberation comes through His grace and right understanding, not mere intellectual reach.

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

Though Śiva is ultimately agocara (beyond objectification), the Liṅga and other saguna forms provide a sacred focus for devotion and purification. Through saguna upāsanā, the devotee is led toward the realization of the transcendent (nirguna) truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice inward contemplation that Śiva is beyond thought while maintaining steady devotion—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and meditation on the Liṅga as the doorway to the formless Reality.