Shloka 55

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

विष्णुरुवाच । देवदेव महादेव करुणाकर शंकर । यदुक्तं ब्रह्मणा सर्वं मदुक्तं तन्न संशयः

Transliteration

viṣṇuruvāca | devadeva mahādeva karuṇākara śaṃkara | yaduktaṃ brahmaṇā sarvaṃ maduktaṃ tanna saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Viṣṇu bersabda: “Wahai Dewa segala dewa, wahai Mahādeva, wahai Śaṅkara, lautan belas kasih! Segala yang telah diucapkan oleh Brahmā sepenuhnya itulah juga yang telah aku ucapkan; tiada keraguan padanya.”

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• देव-देव: O god of gods
• देव-देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (देवानां देवः); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• करुणाकर: O mine/source of compassion
• करुणाकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (करुणायाः आकरः/करः); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative pronoun: what/that which)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मत्-उक्तम्: spoken by me / my statement
• मत्-उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: मम उक्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता/वाक्यविषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Vishnu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it is a doctrinal concord statement: Brahmā and Viṣṇu’s words align in praising/acknowledging Śiva as Devadeva and Karuṇākara.

Significance: Encourages non-sectarian reverence: the highest authorities (Brahmā, Viṣṇu) converge in testimony to Śiva’s supremacy/beneficence, strengthening śraddhā for darśana and worship.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: devadeva mahādeva karuṇākara śaṃkara

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes concord among the deities: Viṣṇu declares that Brahmā’s words and his own are identical, pointing to one settled truth—Śiva (Pati) is the compassionate supreme Lord worthy of devotion and surrender.

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

By addressing Śiva as Devadeva, Mahādeva, and Śaṅkara, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching the Supreme through His gracious, name-and-form aspect, which in Purāṇic practice is commonly adored as the Śiva-liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is devotional alignment: worship Śiva with steady faith (niścaya) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with simple Śiva-upacāras such as offering water and sacred ash (tripuṇḍra/bhasma) in a spirit of reverence.