Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27
देवस्तुतिः—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्वं, मायाशक्तिः, कर्मफलप्रदातृत्वं च
Devas’ Hymn: Śiva as Parabrahman, Māyā-Śakti, and Giver of Karmic Fruits
ताराय च सुताराय तरुणाय सुतेजसे । हरिकेशाय देवाय महेशाय नमोनमः
tārāya ca sutārāya taruṇāya sutejase | harikeśāya devāya maheśāya namonamaḥ
Namo namah, berulang-ulang sembah sujud kepada Mahādeva—Dia Tārā, bintang penunjuk jalan, dan Sutārā, bintang yang paling unggul; Dia Taruṇa, sentiasa muda, dan Sutejas, bercahaya gemilang; Dia Harikeśa, Tuhan berambut keemasan, Sang Deva, Maheśa, Tuhan Yang Maha Agung.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Śiva Purāṇa to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya; the verse functions as a Śiva-stuti within the narration)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Mantra: ताराय च सुताराय तरुणाय सुतेजसे । हरिकेशाय देवाय महेशाय नमोनमः
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Tārā
Role: teaching
Offering: dipa
Cosmic Event: Star imagery (tārā/sutārā) evokes nocturnal cosmic guidance rather than a specific astronomical event.
FAQs
This verse worships Śiva as Pati—the luminous guide (Tārā) who leads bound beings (paśu) beyond ignorance (pāśa). By saluting His youthfulness and radiance, the devotee contemplates His ever-fresh, purifying grace that awakens devotion and steadies the mind toward liberation.
The hymn uses Saguna epithets—radiance, youthfulness, divine form (Harikeśa)—which support concrete devotion. In Śiva worship, such names are offered to the Liṅga as the accessible form of the Supreme, where attributes become aids for concentration and surrender.
Practice nāma-japa: repeat these epithets along with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while offering water or bilva leaves to the Śiva-liṅga; inwardly meditate on Śiva as the inner light (sutejas) guiding the intellect like a star (tārā).