Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)

Devanagari script

रुद्राक्षाभरणास्सर्वे तथा सद्भस्मधारिणः । हारकुंडलकेयूरमुकुटाद्यैरलंकृताः

Transliteration

rudrākṣābharaṇāssarve tathā sadbhasmadhāriṇaḥ | hārakuṃḍalakeyūramukuṭādyairalaṃkṛtāḥ

Translation

ते सर्व रुद्राक्षाभरणांनी विभूषित होते आणि पवित्र भस्म धारण करीत; हार, कुंडले, केयूर, मुकुट इत्यादींनी अलंकृत होते।

Word by Word

• rudrākṣa-ābharaṇāḥ: adorned with rudrākṣa ornaments
• rudrākṣa-ābharaṇāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Bahuvrīhi: ‘having rudrākṣa ornaments’ (रुद्राक्षाणि आभरणानि यस्य)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• tathā: also; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, upamā/anuvṛtti-artha adverb (Adverb/अव्यय)

• sat-bhasma-dhāriṇaḥ: wearing sacred ash
• sat-bhasma-dhāriṇaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa: ‘wearers of holy/true ash’ (सद्भस्म धारयन्ति)

• hāra-kuṇḍala-keyūra-mukuṭa-ādyaiḥ: with garlands, earrings, armlets, crowns, etc.
• hāra-kuṇḍala-keyūra-mukuṭa-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + keyūra (प्रातिपदिक) + mukuṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसक/puṃ? (collective list; treated as instrumental plural), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana; Dvandva list ‘garlands, earrings, armlets, crowns, etc.’ with ādi-samāsa extension

• alaṃkṛtāḥ: adorned
• alaṃkṛtāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaṃ√kṛ (धातु) (कृञ्)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘having been adorned’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights classic Shaiva identity-marks—rudrākṣa and sacred bhasma—signifying dedication to Pati (Śiva) and a life oriented toward purity, detachment, and devotion rather than mere worldly display.

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

Rudrākṣa and bhasma are traditional supports for Saguna-Śiva worship, commonly used while performing liṅga-pūjā, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and maintaining a Shaiva way of life aligned with Śiva’s forms and symbols.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear rudrākṣa (especially for japa) and apply sacred ash (bhasma/Tripuṇḍra) as a daily Shaiva observance, pairing the outer discipline with inner remembrance of Śiva through mantra and devotion.