Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

शक्तिस्तदैकलेनापि स्वैरं विहरता तनुः । स्वविग्रहात्स्वयं सृष्टा स्वशरीरानपायिनी

Transliteration

śaktistadaikalenāpi svairaṃ viharatā tanuḥ | svavigrahātsvayaṃ sṛṣṭā svaśarīrānapāyinī

Translation

ആ ശക്തി ഒരേ ദേഹമായി പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടിട്ടും സ്വേച്ഛയായി വിഹരിച്ചു. സ്വന്തം സ്വരൂപത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ സ്വയം ഉദ്ഭവിച്ച അവൾ തന്റെ സ്വഭാവത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഒരിക്കലും വേർപെടുന്നില്ല; ശിവനോടു അവിഭാജ്യയാണ്.

Word by Word

• शक्तिः: Power (Śakti)
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: with that
• तत्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘तद्’ = तेन (that/with that)

• एकलेन: alone, solely
• एकलेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (alone/only)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• स्वैरम्: freely
• स्वैरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative: freely)

• विहरता: by (him) sporting/roaming
• विहरता: कर्ता (Kartā/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-हृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), तृतीया, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन; ‘(ईश्वरेण) विहरता’

• तनुः: the body/form
• तनुः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन; शक्तेः विशेष्य

• स्व-विग्रहात्: from her own form
• स्व-विग्रहात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य विग्रहः)

• स्वयम्: by herself
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (indeclinable adverb: by oneself)

• सृष्टा: created
• सृष्टा: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (created)

• स्व-शरीरा: having her own body
• स्व-शरीरा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वं शरीरं यस्याः)

• अनपायिनी: non-separating, not departing
• अनपायिनी: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन-अपायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण (not departing)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the creation account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic emergence of Śakti as the dynamic aspect of the Supreme

Characters & Entities

• Shakti

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śakti as self-manifest and autonomous in movement, yet fundamentally inseparable from her own essence—reflecting the Shaiva view that creation operates through Shiva’s power (Śakti) without compromising divine unity.

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

In Linga/Saguna Shiva worship, devotees honor Shiva together with his inseparable Śakti—understanding that the Lord’s manifest grace, protection, and creative unfolding occur through Śakti while Shiva remains the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on the inseparable Shiva–Shakti principle while chanting the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating divine power as ever-present and non-separate from the Lord.