Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

किमर्थं भाषसे भूरि वह्वनर्थकरं वचः । नेश्वरस्त्वं परब्रह्म कश्चित्कर्ता भवेत्तव

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ bhāṣase bhūri vahvanarthakaraṃ vacaḥ | neśvarastvaṃ parabrahma kaścitkartā bhavettava

Translation

ତୁମେ କାହିଁକି ଏତେ ଅଧିକ ଭାବେ ଅନେକ ଅନର୍ଥକାରୀ ବଚନ କହୁଛ? ହେ ପରବ୍ରହ୍ମ! ତୁମେ ଈଶ୍ୱର ନୁହ; ତେବେ ତୁମ ଉପରେ କର୍ତ୍ତା କିମ୍ବା ନିୟନ୍ତା କେହି କିପରି ହେବ?

Word by Word

• kim-artham: for what reason/why
• kim-artham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• bhāṣase: you speak
• bhāṣase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• bhūri: much/excessively
• bhūri: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūri (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘much/excessively’)

• bahu-anartha-karam: causing much harm
• bahu-anartha-karam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + anartha (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); विशेषण (vacaḥ-विशेषण)

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• īśvaraḥ: lord
• īśvaraḥ: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• para-brahma: O Supreme Brahman
• para-brahma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन)

• kaścit: anyone
• kaścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• kartā: doer/agent
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय) → kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• bhavet: would be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• tava: of you/for you
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred, within the Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa dialogue on agency and supreme lordship)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Ishvara

FAQs

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

It denies egoic “doership” and affirms that the Supreme Reality cannot be controlled by any other agent—guiding the seeker toward humility, surrender, and recognition of the Highest Lord as the ultimate ground of action.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to relinquish personal control and see all power as belonging to the Supreme Lord; this verse reinforces that the Lord alone is Īśvara, while individual agency is dependent and limited.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the bhāva of offering all actions and their fruits to Shiva, consciously dropping the sense of “I am the doer.”