Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च

Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis

Devanagari script

विष्णुर्वापि तथा ब्रह्मा शंकरश्च तथा प्रभुः । न कश्चिद्गिरिजाग्रे च स्थातुं शक्तोऽभवन्मुने

Transliteration

viṣṇurvāpi tathā brahmā śaṃkaraśca tathā prabhuḥ | na kaścidgirijāgre ca sthātuṃ śakto'bhavanmune

Translation

О мудрец, даже Вишну, равно как и Брахма, и даже Шанкара — Владыка, — никто не смог устоять на вершине Гириджи (Богини): столь подавляющим было её божественное присутствие.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle) ‘or’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘also/even’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण ‘thus/likewise’

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय ‘and’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise’

• प्रभुः: the Lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रत्यय ‘some/any’

• गिरिजा-अग्रे: in front of Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अग्र), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समास: गिरिजायाः अग्रे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय ‘and’

• स्थातुम्: to stand
• स्थातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अनन्तरक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), ‘to stand/remain’

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘able’

• अभवत्: was/became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva
• Parvati (Girija)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the irresistible majesty of Girijā (Śakti) and implies that even the highest deities cannot “stand” before the Supreme Divine Power without humility—affirming the Shaiva teaching that Shiva and Shakti are the transcendent ground of all divine functions.

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

In Shaiva Purana theology, the Liṅga and Saguna Śiva are worshipped along with Śakti (Girijā). This verse supports the devotional stance that approaching Śiva’s form (Liṅga) with reverence to Śakti grants steadiness, whereas mere status—even divine—does not.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is humility and surrender in worship: recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while offering bilva leaves and, if initiated, apply tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder that only devotion to Shiva-Shakti gives true spiritual steadiness.