Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

अर्धनारीश्वरप्रादुर्भावः

Manifestation of Ardhanārīśvara and the Impulse for Procreative Creation

Devanagari script

विज्ञाप्यैवंविधैः सूक्तैर्विश्वकर्मा चतुर्मुखः । नमश्चकार रुद्राय रद्राण्यै च मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

vijñāpyaivaṃvidhaiḥ sūktairviśvakarmā caturmukhaḥ | namaścakāra rudrāya radrāṇyai ca muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

Tendo assim apresentado sua súplica com hinos desse teor, Viśvakarmā—Brahmā, o Criador de quatro faces—prostrou-se repetidas vezes em reverência diante de Rudra (Śiva) e de Rudrāṇī (Pārvatī), reconhecendo-os como o Senhor supremo e Sua śakti que concede graça.

Word by Word

• विज्ञाप्य: having informed
• विज्ञाप्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञाप्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), “having informed/submitted”

• एवंविधैः: of such kind
• एवंविधैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सूक्तैः); समास: एवंविध = “of such a kind”

• सूक्तैः: with hymns
• सूक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental: “with hymns/utterances”)

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarmā
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास: विश्वकर्मा = “one whose work is universal/Viśvakarman (name)”

• चतुर्मुखः: four-faced
• चतुर्मुखः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (of विश्वकर्मा); समास: चतुर्मुख = “four-faced”

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (कर्म/उपहार-वस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (used as “salutation”)

• चकार: did/made
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative: “to Rudra”)

• रुद्राण्यै: to Rudrāṇī
• रुद्राण्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative: “to Rudrāṇī”)

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

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: “again and again”)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Narrative frame: Brahmā (caturmukha) repeatedly bows to Rudra and Rudrāṇī after petitioning—emphasizing Śiva-Śakti supremacy over the creator-god; not a jyotirliṅga origin episode.

Significance: Teaches that even Brahmā approaches Śiva-Śakti through namaskāra and stuti; pilgrims emulate this by repeated prostration (praṇāma) seeking anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: namaḥ rudrāya rudrāṇyai

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Brahma
• Vishvakarma

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): even exalted beings like Brahmā approach Śiva and Śakti with humble, repeated namaskāra, implying that grace—not mere status—opens the way to auspicious outcomes and liberation.

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

The verse models Saguna devotion—bowing to Rudra and Rudrāṇī as the accessible Lord and His power. In Linga-worship, the same attitude of reverent submission (namaḥ) is central, treating the Linga as the compassionate presence of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Repeated namaskāra and japa in a devotional mood—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—performed with awareness of Śiva-Śakti unity, as a simple daily practice of humility and remembrance.