Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

कुमाराभिषेकवर्णनम् — Description of Kumāra’s Abhiṣeka

Consecration/Installation

Devanagari script

शूलं पिनाकं परशुं शक्ति पाशुपतं शरम् । संहारास्त्रं च परमां विद्यां तस्मै ददौ शिवः

Transliteration

śūlaṃ pinākaṃ paraśuṃ śakti pāśupataṃ śaram | saṃhārāstraṃ ca paramāṃ vidyāṃ tasmai dadau śivaḥ

Translation

Śiva mengurniakan kepadanya trisula, busur Pināka, kapak, lembing (śakti), senjata Pāśupata, anak panah, senjata pemusnahan, serta pengetahuan rohani yang tertinggi.

Word by Word

• śūlam: trident/spear
• śūlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pinākam: Pināka (bow)
• pinākam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pināka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• paraśum: axe
• paraśum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaktim: spear/energy-weapon (śakti)
• śaktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāśupatam: Pāśupata (of Paśupati)
• pāśupatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaram: arrow
• śaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃhāra-astram: weapon of destruction
• saṃhāra-astram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• paramām: supreme
• paramām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vidyām: knowledge/mantra-lore
• vidyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Saṃhāra is explicitly invoked via 'saṃhārāstra' (weapon of dissolution), echoing cosmic withdrawal.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse shows Śiva as both the giver of worldly power (astric might for dharma) and the giver of paramā vidyā (liberating knowledge). In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, the Lord alone—Pati—can grant both śakti for righteous action and jñāna that cuts the bonds (pāśa) and leads the soul (paśu) toward mokṣa.

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

These gifts come from Saguna Śiva—the compassionate Lord with attributes who protects and guides devotees. Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana emphasizes approaching Śiva as the source of all powers and the ultimate teacher; devotion to the Linga is thus not merely for boons, but for receiving Śiva’s grace that culminates in supreme knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key takeaway is to seek Śiva’s paramā vidyā through daily Śiva-pūjā and japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—while maintaining purity with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines for steadiness, protection, and inward focus.