Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा सुन्दरं रूपं विस्मयं परमं गतः । कालाभं कांचनाभं च सर्वात्मानं चतुर्भुजम्

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā sundaraṃ rūpaṃ vismayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ | kālābhaṃ kāṃcanābhaṃ ca sarvātmānaṃ caturbhujam

Translation

Ao ver aquela forma bela, foi tomado pelo mais alto assombro. Contemplou o Senhor de quatro braços, escuro como Kāla e, ao mesmo tempo, radiante como ouro, o Ser interior de todos os seres.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (him/that form)
• तत्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action; adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• सुन्दरम्: beautiful
• सुन्दरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of रूपम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: कर्म (Object/attained state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme/utter
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (विस्मयम्)

• गतः: attained
• गतः: क्रिया (Main predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used actively), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/attained’

• काल-आभम्: dark like time/black-hued
• काल-आभम्: कर्म (Object; apposition to the seen one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यः कालाभः—कालसदृशवर्णः)

• कांचन-आभम्: golden-hued
• कांचन-आभम्: कर्म (Object; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कांचन + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यः कांचनाभः—स्वर्णसदृशकान्तिः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सर्व-आत्मानम्: the all-self / soul of all
• सर्व-आत्मानम्: कर्म (Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वः आत्मा यस्य/सर्वात्मा) — यहाँ द्वितीया एकवचन ‘सर्वात्मानम्’

• चतुर्भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजम्: कर्म (Object; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य भुजाः चत्वारः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Theophany highlighting sarvātmabhāva (all-pervasion) within cosmogonic narration

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights transformative darśana: encountering the Lord’s saguna form awakens supreme wonder, turning the mind inward to recognize Him as sarvātmā—the indwelling Self of all—central to Shaiva Siddhānta devotion leading toward grace (anugraha).

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

It affirms saguna upāsanā: the Lord is approachable through a perceivable form (and likewise through the Liṅga as His sacred presence), yet He remains sarvātmā—immanent in all—so external worship matures into inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna on Shiva as sarvātmā while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and support it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as aids to steady devotion and remembrance of the Lord’s all-pervading presence.