Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā

Devanagari script

तुष्टावाष्टतनुं तुष्टः प्रफुल्लनयनाचलः । मौलावंजलिमाधाय वदञ्जयजयेति च

Transliteration

tuṣṭāvāṣṭatanuṃ tuṣṭaḥ praphullanayanācalaḥ | maulāvaṃjalimādhāya vadañjayajayeti ca

Translation

तुष्टः स अष्टतनुं शिवं तुष्टाव; प्रफुल्लनयनः स्थिरः सन् मौलौ अञ्जलिं निधाय उच्चैः “जय जय” इति अवदत्।

Word by Word

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• अष्टतनुम्: the eight-formed one (eight-bodied)
• अष्टतनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• तुष्टः: being pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from तुष् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally

• प्रफुल्लनयनाचलः: whose eyes were bright/blossoming
• प्रफुल्लनयनाचलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रफुल्ल + नयन + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘प्रफुल्ले नयने यस्य’ (whose eyes are fully blossomed)

• मौलौ: on the head
• मौलौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन

• अञ्जलिम्: folded hands (añjali)
• अञ्जलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आधाय: having placed
• आधाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having placed/put’

• वदन्: saying
• वदन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जय: be victorious
• जय: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग; आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक/धातु-आधारित; imperative form)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• जय: be victorious
• जय: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग; आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक/धातु-आधारित; imperative form)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (repetition for emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyasaṅgati (वाक्यसङ्गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: jaya jaya

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It depicts bhakti expressed as humility and surrender: praising Śiva as Aṣṭatanū (the cosmic Lord of multiple manifestations), offering añjali at the crown, and affirming divine supremacy through “jaya-jaya,” which steadies the mind in devotion.

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

The verse reflects Saguna-upāsanā: the devotee approaches Śiva with visible, personal reverence—praise (stuti), folded hands, and acclamation—mirroring how devotees worship the Liṅga with outward gestures that carry inward surrender to Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice stuti with añjali-mudrā (hands folded) raised to the head, and repeat a victory-acclamation like “jaya jaya Śivāya” as japa; it can be paired with Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for focused devotion.