Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

वाक्यं तदाकर्ण्य स पद्मयोनिः सुविस्मितश्शंकरपादपद्ममम् । सस्मार संप्राप्य निर्देशमाशु शंभोस्तु तं प्राह ततोंधकं वै

Transliteration

vākyaṃ tadākarṇya sa padmayoniḥ suvismitaśśaṃkarapādapadmamam | sasmāra saṃprāpya nirdeśamāśu śaṃbhostu taṃ prāha tatoṃdhakaṃ vai

Translation

ସେହି ବାକ୍ୟ ଶୁଣି ପଦ୍ମଯୋନି ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିସ୍ମିତ ହେଲେ ଏବଂ ଭକ୍ତିସହିତ ଶଙ୍କରଙ୍କ ପଦ୍ମଚରଣ ସ୍ମରଣ କଲେ। ଶମ୍ଭୁଙ୍କ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶ ଶୀଘ୍ର ପାଇ ସେ ପରେ ଅନ୍ଧକଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम् (वाक्यम्)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कर्ण्/√श्रु (धातु; ‘to hear’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having heard’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पद्मयोनिः: Padmayoni (Brahmā)
• पद्मयोनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘पद्मा योनि: यस्य’ (one whose source is a lotus; Brahmā)

• सुविस्मितः: greatly astonished
• सुविस्मितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विस्मित (कृदन्त; √स्मि/√विस्मि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/त) विशेषणम्

• शंकर-पाद-पद्मम्: Śaṅkara’s lotus-feet
• शंकर-पाद-पद्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शंकरस्य पादपद्मम्)

• सस्मार: remembered
• सस्मार: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• संप्राप्य: having obtained
• संप्राप्य: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) with सम्+प्र
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having obtained/reached’

• निर्देशम्: instruction/command
• निर्देशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: quickly)

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपातः (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• तम्: to him/that one
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘said’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादानार्थक-अव्ययम् (adverb: then/from there)

• अन्धकम्: Andhaka
• अन्धकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; (नाम)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (particle: indeed)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa episode)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Shambhu
• Brahma
• Andhaka

FAQs

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

It highlights that even Brahmā acts through Śiva’s higher authority: remembrance of Śaṅkara’s lotus-feet and obedience to His directive are shown as the right response to divine will, aligning the soul with Pati (the Supreme Lord).

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

The verse models Saguna devotion—reverent remembrance of Śiva’s sacred feet and His personal guidance. Such bhakti supports Linga-worship by cultivating surrender and receptivity to Śiva’s instruction in the devotee’s life.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pāda-smaraṇa (meditation on Śiva’s lotus-feet) and śaraṇāgati (obedient surrender) are implied; practically, one may accompany this with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before undertaking any dharmic action.