Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50
शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”
त्वं च लक्ष्मीमुपाश्रित्य कार्यं कर्तुमिहार्हसि । ब्रह्मंस्त्वं च गिरां देवीं प्रकृत्यंशामवाप्य च
tvaṃ ca lakṣmīmupāśritya kāryaṃ kartumihārhasi | brahmaṃstvaṃ ca girāṃ devīṃ prakṛtyaṃśāmavāpya ca
നീയും, ഹേ ബ്രഹ്മാ, ലക്ഷ്മിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് ഇവിടെ കര്മ്മം നിർവഹിക്കാൻ യോഗ്യനാകുന്നു. വാക്ദേവിയായ സരസ്വതിയെയും പ്രകൃതിയുടെ അംശവും പ്രാപിച്ച്, നിന്റെ നിശ്ചിത കര്ത്തവ്യം വിധിപൂർവ്വം നിർവഹിക്കു.
Lord Śiva (as the supreme regulator empowering Brahmā for creation)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Lalitā
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: appointment of sṛṣṭi through Brahmā empowered by śakti (Lakṣmī/Vāk) and prakṛti-aṃśa
FAQs
It shows that even Brahmā’s creative function depends on Śiva’s ordinance and Śakti’s support—prosperity (Lakṣmī), speech/knowledge (Vāk/Sarasvatī), and Prakṛti’s operative power—highlighting Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who enables ordered creation.
In Saguna worship, the Liṅga represents Śiva as the source of all energies; this verse echoes that all capacities—wealth, articulation of the Veda, and material causality—flow from Śiva’s sanction, so worship is oriented to the giver of śakti rather than the instruments.
A practical takeaway is Śiva-śaraṇāgati (taking refuge in Śiva) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and prayer for purified vāk (speech) and dharmic use of prosperity—using bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines where customary.