Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

क्रौञ्चशरणागमनम् तथा बाणासुरवधः

Krauñca Seeks Refuge; Slaying of Bāṇāsura

Devanagari script

ततस्सर्वे सुरास्तत्र विष्णुप्रभृतयो मुदा । लिंगं स्थापितवंतस्ते देवदेवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

tatassarve surāstatra viṣṇuprabhṛtayo mudā | liṃgaṃ sthāpitavaṃtaste devadevasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

அதன்பின் அங்கே விஷ்ணு முதலிய எல்லாத் தேவர்களும் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் தேவர்களின் தேவனும் சூலதாரியுமான சிவனின் லிங்கத்தை நிறுவினர்।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Kārya-krama-avyaya (sequence adverb/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन)

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (locative adverb/देश-अव्यय)

• viṣṇu-prabhṛtayaḥ: beginning with Viṣṇu (Viṣṇu and others)
• viṣṇu-prabhṛtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन)

• mudā: with joy
• mudā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalīṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• sthāpitavantaḥ: installed
• sthāpitavantaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु) with causative √sthāpaya (णिजन्त) → sthāpita (कृदन्त) + vanta (वत्)
• Form: Agentive past participial construction (क्त + वन्त); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; 'having installed/installed' as predicate of subject

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• deva-devasya: of the God of gods
• deva-devasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• śūlinaḥ: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• śūlinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; apposition to deva-devasya

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The assembled devas, led by Viṣṇu, collectively install Śiva’s liṅga, emphasizing Śiva as Devadeva and the integrative supremacy of the trident-bearing Lord acknowledged by all gods.

Significance: Collective deva-pratiṣṭhā signals exceptional kṣetra-māhātmya: worship here is portrayed as quickly fruitful for dharma/artha/kāma and ultimately mokṣa through Śiva’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Devas

FAQs

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

It shows that even the highest devas take refuge in Śiva through Liṅga-worship, affirming Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord) and the Liṅga as a sacred focus for devotion that uplifts the soul toward grace and liberation.

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

The verse explicitly describes the installation (sthāpana) of the Liṅga, emphasizing Saguna upāsanā—approaching the transcendent Lord through a consecrated form that supports prayer, mantra, and ritual devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Liṅga-sthāpana and Liṅga-pūjā are implied—regular worship with reverence and joy, ideally accompanied by Śiva-mantra japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined, sattvic conduct.