Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

देवस्तुतिः (Devastuti) — Hymn/Praise of the Devas

Devanagari script

नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय गोब्राह्मणहिताय च । सहस्रमूर्त्तये तुभ्यं सहस्रावयवाय च

Transliteration

namo brahmaṇyadevāya gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca | sahasramūrttaye tubhyaṃ sahasrāvayavāya ca

Translation

ब्रह्मण्यदेव—धर्मरक्षक प्रभूला नमस्कार; गो आणि ब्राह्मणांच्या हितासाठी कार्य करणाऱ्यास नमस्कार। सहस्र मूर्ती असणाऱ्या तुला नमो, आणि सहस्र अवयव असणाऱ्या तुला नमस्कार।

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमो-प्रयोगः

• ब्रह्मण्य-देवाय: to the Brahmaṇya Lord
• ब्रह्मण्य-देवाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—ब्रह्मण्यः देवः (protector/favorer of Brahmins/Veda)

• गो-ब्राह्मण-हिताय: to the benefactor of cows and Brahmins
• गो-ब्राह्मण-हिताय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—गोब्राह्मणयोः हितः (beneficial to cows and Brahmins)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: 'and')

• सहस्र-मूर्तये: to the thousand-formed one
• सहस्र-मूर्तये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—सहस्रं मूर्तयः यस्य (thousand-formed)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• सहस्र-अवयवाय: to the thousand-limbed one
• सहस्र-अवयवाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—सहस्रं अवयवाः यस्य (having a thousand limbs/parts)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No direct Jyotirliṅga identification; the verse is a dharma-protective stuti emphasizing Śiva’s guardianship of social-sacral order (go-brāhmaṇa-hita).

Significance: Encourages dhārmic protection and universal pervasion (sahasra-mūrti/avayava) as a contemplative support for seeing Śiva in all beings and directions.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय गोब्राह्मणहिताय च । सहस्रमूर्त्तये तुभ्यं सहस्रावयवाय च

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse is an act of śaraṇāgati (surrender) to Shiva as Pati—the all-pervading Lord of countless forms—affirming that devotion to Him protects dharma and leads the soul beyond bondage (pāśa) toward liberation.

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

By praising Shiva as “of a thousand forms,” the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching the One Lord through accessible forms, including the Śiva-liṅga, which signifies His omnipresence while remaining the focus of bhakti and ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use this as a namaskāra-mantra in daily pūjā: offer water/bilva to the liṅga, apply tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and recite with steady attention, cultivating reverence for Shiva as the protector of dharma and the indwelling Lord.