Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 46
शुक्रनिग्रहः — The Seizure/Neutralization of Śukra (Kāvya) and the Daityas’ Despondency
त्वमष्टमूर्तिस्त्वमनंतमूर्तिस्त्वमिष्टदस्सर्वसुरासुराणाम् । अनिष्टदृष्टश्च विमर्दकश्च स्तोष्ये ह नुत्यं कथमीदृशं त्वाम्
tvamaṣṭamūrtistvamanaṃtamūrtistvamiṣṭadassarvasurāsurāṇām | aniṣṭadṛṣṭaśca vimardakaśca stoṣye ha nutyaṃ kathamīdṛśaṃ tvām
നീ അഷ്ടമൂർത്തിയും അനന്തമൂർത്തിയും ആകുന്നു; സർവ്വ ദേവാസുരർക്കും ഇഷ്ടഫലം നല്കുന്നവനും നീ തന്നെ. എങ്കിലും അനിഷ്ടത്തെ കണ്ടു അതിനെ മർദ്ദിക്കുന്നവനും നീ—ഇങ്ങനെ ഉള്ള നിന്നെ ഞാൻ സ്തോത്ര-നമസ്കാരങ്ങളാൽ എങ്ങനെ മതിയായ വിധത്തിൽ സ്തുതിക്കും?
An unnamed devotee/warrior praising Lord Shiva (within Sūta Gosvāmin’s narration in the Rudra Saṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Mantra: त्वमष्टमूर्तिस्त्वमनंतमूर्तिस्त्वमिष्टदस्सर्वसुरासुराणाम् । अनिष्टदृष्टश्च विमर्दकश्च स्तोष्ये ह नुत्यं कथमीदृशं त्वाम्
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse affirms Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who pervades creation in the eightfold cosmic forms yet transcends them as Ananta. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it highlights His grace (anugraha) in granting boons and His purifying power in subduing inauspiciousness that binds the soul.
Calling Shiva ‘of infinite forms’ supports Linga worship as a universal, form-transcending symbol that still allows Saguna devotion through stuti and namaskara. The devotee’s inability to fully praise Him underscores that the Linga points beyond limited imagery to the boundless Lord.
The takeaway is stuti and śaraṇāgati (surrender): recite Shiva hymns and mentally offer salutations while contemplating Shiva as Ashtamurti pervading the elements. This pairs naturally with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga-archana.