Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 55

गाणपत्यदानकथा

Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude

Devanagari script

महारक्ताब्जसंकाशं चरणं चोक्तमप्रभम् । दिव्यलक्षणसंयुक्तं मनोऽभीष्टार्थदायकम्

Transliteration

mahāraktābjasaṃkāśaṃ caraṇaṃ coktamaprabham | divyalakṣaṇasaṃyuktaṃ mano'bhīṣṭārthadāyakam

Translation

ତାଙ୍କ ଚରଣ ମହାରକ୍ତ ପଦ୍ମସଦୃଶ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ, ଯାହା ଲୌକିକ ଚମକରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ; ଦିବ୍ୟ ଲକ୍ଷଣରେ ଯୁକ୍ତ ସେ ଚରଣ ଭକ୍ତଙ୍କ ମନୋଭୀଷ୍ଟ ଫଳ ଦେଇଥାଏ।

Word by Word

• mahā-rakta-abja-saṃkāśam: like a great red lotus
• mahā-rakta-abja-saṃkāśam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + abja (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'having the appearance of a great red lotus'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with caraṇaṃ)

• caraṇaṃ: foot
• caraṇaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• uktam: said / described
• uktam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle, PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with caraṇaṃ); कर्मणि-भाव (passive sense)

• a-prabham: without radiance / not shining
• a-prabham: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समासार्थ (negation); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with caraṇaṃ)

• divya-lakṣaṇa-saṃyuktam: endowed with divine marks
• divya-lakṣaṇa-saṃyuktam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'endowed with divine marks'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with caraṇaṃ)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Upapada (उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here used as object in compound (upapada)

• abhīṣṭa-artha-dāyakam: granting desired aims
• abhīṣṭa-artha-dāyakam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + dāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'giver of desired objects'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with caraṇaṃ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Meditation on the Lord’s lotus-feet and their divine marks is framed as granting iṣṭa-siddhi (desired aims) and, in Siddhānta reading, ultimately ripening into anugraha leading toward liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises the auspiciousness of Shiva’s sacred feet—an object of bhakti—teaching that contemplation of the Lord’s divine form and marks purifies desire and converts it into grace-bestowed fulfilment.

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

Though Linga worship points to Shiva beyond attributes, this verse emphasizes Saguna upāsanā: meditating on Shiva’s visible, auspicious characteristics (such as lotus-like feet) as a direct support for devotion that leads toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice pāda-dhyāna—meditation on Shiva’s feet—while repeating the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offering flowers or bilva leaves with the intent of surrendering one’s wishes to Shiva’s grace.