Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

देवाश्च शासनाच्छंभोर्ब्रह्माद्या हि सवासवा । मनसा तुष्टुवुर्मूलप्रकृतिं भक्तवत्सलाम्

Transliteration

devāśca śāsanācchaṃbhorbrahmādyā hi savāsavā | manasā tuṣṭuvurmūlaprakṛtiṃ bhaktavatsalām

Translation

देवाश्च शम्भोः शासनात् ब्रह्माद्याः सवासवाः। मनसा तुष्टुवुर्मूलप्रकृतिं भक्तवत्सलाम्॥

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• शासनात्: from the command
• शासनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ब्रह्माद्याः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्माद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्म + आदि)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• सवासवाः: together with Indra
• सवासवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स + वासव) = इन्द्रसहिताः/इन्द्रसमेताः

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तुष्टुवुः: praised
• तुष्टुवुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• मूलप्रकृतिम्: the primordial Nature
• मूलप्रकृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूलप्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मूला च सा प्रकृतिः)

• भक्तवत्सलाम्: affectionate to devotees
• भक्तवत्सलाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्तवत्सला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भक्त + वत्सल)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Indra
• Devas
• Mula Prakriti

FAQs

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

It shows that even the gods act under Śiva’s ordinance and approach the divine Motherly Power (Mūla-Prakṛti) through inner praise, emphasizing humility, obedience to Pati (Śiva), and bhakti as a purifying force.

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

Śambhu’s command reflects Saguna Śiva’s lordship in the cosmic order; devotion directed as he instructs is itself Linga-centered discipline—serving Śiva by honoring the Shakti through whom his will operates in manifest creation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights mānasa-stuti (mental worship): silently repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” while contemplating Śiva with Śakti, supported by simple Shaiva aids like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa for steadiness in devotion.