Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

सर्वगा सर्वरूपा च सर्वदृक्सर्वकारिणी । सर्वेकवंद्या सर्वाद्या सर्वदा सर्वसंस्कृतिः

Transliteration

sarvagā sarvarūpā ca sarvadṛksarvakāriṇī | sarvekavaṃdyā sarvādyā sarvadā sarvasaṃskṛtiḥ

Translation

അവൾ സർവ്വവ്യാപിനി, സർവ്വരൂപിണി, സർവ്വദർശിനി, സർവ്വകാരിണി. അവൾ മാത്രമേ സർവ്വവന്ദ്യയായുള്ളൂ; അവൾ ആദിസ്രോതസ്സ്, സദാ സന്നിഹിത, സർവ്വസത്തയുടെ പവിത്ര സംസ്കാരവും ക്രമവുമാണ്.

Word by Word

• सर्वगा: all-pervading
• सर्वगा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वत्र गच्छति’

• सर्वरूपा: of all forms
• सर्वरूपा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + रूप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वदृक्: all-seeing
• सर्वदृक्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वदृश् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + दृश्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दृक्’ इति प्रातिपदिक-रूप (seeing)

• सर्वकारिणी: doer of all
• सर्वकारिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वकारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + कारिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वं करोति’

• सर्वैकवन्द्या: universally and uniquely venerable
• सर्वैकवन्द्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-एक-वन्द्य (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + एक + वन्द्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वैः एकतया वन्द्या/वन्दनीया’

• सर्वाद्या: the first of all
• सर्वाद्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + आद्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वेषाम् आद्या’

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सर्वसंस्कृतिः: the total refinement/ordering (of all)
• सर्वसंस्कृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वसंस्कृति (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + संस्कृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम—‘सर्वस्य संस्कृतिः/संस्कारः’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: sarvagā sarvarūpā ca sarvadṛksarvakāriṇī | sarvekavaṃdyā sarvādyā sarvadā sarvasaṃskṛtiḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse praises Devī (Shakti) as the all-pervading power through whom the cosmos is seen, formed, and sustained—pointing to the Shaiva Siddhanta view that Pati (Shiva) and His Shakti are inseparable in creation and grace.

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

In Linga worship, Shiva is adored as the transcendent Lord while Shakti is honored as His manifest power; this verse supports Saguna upāsanā by affirming that the Divine is present in all forms and actions, making Linga-pūjā a complete worship of Shiva together with His energy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice all-pervasiveness (sarvavyāpitva-bhāvanā) during japa—especially with “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—seeing all actions as offered to Shiva-Shakti; simple supports like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa may be used to steady devotion and remembrance.