Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

पंचवक्त्रः प्रसन्नात्मा दशबाहुस्त्रिशूलधृक् । कर्पूरगौरसुसितो भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहः

Transliteration

paṃcavaktraḥ prasannātmā daśabāhustriśūladhṛk | karpūragaurasusito bhasmoddhūlitavigrahaḥ

Translation

அந்த மங்களகரமான ஆண்டவன் ஐந்துமுகன், அமைதியான ஆத்மா, பத்துக் கரங்களுடன் திரிசூலம் தாங்கியவனாய் தோன்றினான். கற்பூரம் போல் வெண்மையாக, அவன் தெய்வ உடல் புனித விபூதியால் பூசப்பட்டிருந்தது.

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्रः: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• प्रसन्नात्मा: of serene nature
• प्रसन्नात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• दशबाहुः: ten-armed
• दशबाहुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• त्रिशूलधृक्: trident-bearer
• त्रिशूलधृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूल + धृक् (धृ (धातु) + क्विप्/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिशूलं धारयति इति)

• कर्पूरगौरसुसितः: very white, camphor-fair
• कर्पूरगौरसुसितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्पूर + गौर + सुसित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-कर्मधारयः (कर्पूरवत् गौरः, सुसितः)

• भस्म-उद्धूलित-विग्रहः: whose body is smeared with ash
• भस्म-उद्धूलित-विग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मन् + उद्धूलित (उद्+धूल् (धातु) + क्त) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (भस्मना उद्धूलितः विग्रहः यस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Pati (Lord) whose serene nature bestows grace; the five faces signify His all-pervading governance of the cosmos, while the bhasma marks renunciation and the truth that all bondage (pāśa) ends in ash before His liberating power.

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

It supports Saguna-upāsanā by describing Shiva’s meditational form and attributes (pañcavaktra, triśūla, bhasma); such contemplation stabilizes devotion that culminates in Linga-worship, where the same Lord is adored as the formless-with-form symbol of supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) with reverence, meditate on Panchavaktra Shiva holding the triśūla, and pair the visualization with japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a Shaiva Siddhanta-aligned practice of purification and surrender.