Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अन्यच्च शृणु सद्बुद्ध्या वचनं मे प्रजापते । वच्मि गुह्यं धर्महेतोः सगुणत्वेप्यहं तव

Transliteration

anyacca śṛṇu sadbuddhyā vacanaṃ me prajāpate | vacmi guhyaṃ dharmahetoḥ saguṇatvepyahaṃ tava

Translation

И выслушай ещё одно Моё слово с ясным и благородным разумением, о Праджапати. Ради Дхармы Я открою тебе тайну: хотя Я проявляюсь с качествами (сагуна), Я вечно остаюсь твоим.

Word by Word

• अन्यत्: another (matter)
• अन्यत्: कर्म (Karma; object of शृणु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'another (thing)'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• सद्-बुद्ध्या: with good understanding
• सद्-बुद्ध्या: करण (Karaṇa; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ('good intelligence'); करण/भावे तृतीया

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma; object of शृणु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; enclitic form

• प्रजापते: O Prajāpati
• प्रजापते: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वच्मि: I speak
• वच्मि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• गुह्यम्: secret
• गुह्यम्: कर्म (Karma; object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of implied 'matter/word')

• धर्म-हेतोः: for the sake of dharma
• धर्म-हेतोः: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('for the sake of dharma'); हेतौ पञ्चमी

• स-गुणत्वे: even in (my) attributed state
• स-गुणत्वे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्गवत्) + गुणत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ('in having qualities/with attributes')

• अपि: even
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even/also)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Prajapati (Daksha)

FAQs

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

Shiva urges Prajapati to listen with right discernment, revealing that divine truth is often “guhya” (esoteric). From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it points to Shiva’s grace-guided instruction: Dharma is upheld when one understands the Lord’s manifested (saguṇa) presence without losing sight of His transcendent sovereignty.

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

By stating “even in saguṇa-ness,” the verse validates worship of Shiva in form—such as the Linga—as a legitimate and dharmic approach. The manifested Lord is not separate from His supreme reality; devotion to Saguna Shiva becomes a doorway to deeper realization through grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to approach Shiva’s worship with “sadbuddhi”—steady, reverent understanding—while doing japa and pūjā. A fitting practice is Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) alongside Linga-abhisheka, keeping the intent aligned to dharma and inner purification.