Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 19

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

रुद्रा क्षधारणं प्रोक्तं पापनाशनहेतवे । तस्माच्च धारणी यो वै सर्वार्थसाधनो ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

rudrā kṣadhāraṇaṃ proktaṃ pāpanāśanahetave | tasmācca dhāraṇī yo vai sarvārthasādhano dhruvam

Translation

ਰੁਦ੍ਰਾਖ਼ਸ਼ ਧਾਰਣ ਪਾਪਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਸ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਜੋ ਸੱਚਮੁੱਚ ਰੁਦ੍ਰਾਖ਼ਸ਼ ਧਾਰਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਧਰਮੋਚਿਤ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਸਿਧ ਕਰ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• रुद्राक्ष-धारणम्: wearing of rudrākṣa beads
• रुद्राक्ष-धारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rudrākṣasya dhāraṇam)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said/declared’

• पाप-नाशन-हेतवे: for the cause of destroying sins
• पाप-नाशन-हेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (pāpasya nāśanaṃ yasya saḥ hetuḥ)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’), निपात-प्रयोगः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धारणी: the wearer (one who wears)
• धारणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सर्व-अर्थ-साधनः: accomplisher of all aims
• सर्व-अर्थ-साधनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (sarvānām arthānām sādhanaḥ)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण) ‘certainly/steadfastly’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa as a Shaiva sādhana that purifies karmic blemishes (pāpa) and supports the seeker’s progress toward the four puruṣārthas, culminating in liberation through Shiva’s grace.

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

Rudrākṣa is treated as a sacred Shaiva emblem that keeps the devotee aligned with Saguna Shiva worship—supporting japa, vrata, and Linga-pūjā—so the body and mind remain oriented to Shiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Wear Rudrākṣa with reverence, and use it for mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a daily discipline for purification and steady devotion.