Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

कृपां कुरु महेशान विष्णुं बोधय बोधय । त्वदधीनमिदं सर्वं प्राकृतं सचराचरम्

Transliteration

kṛpāṃ kuru maheśāna viṣṇuṃ bodhaya bodhaya | tvadadhīnamidaṃ sarvaṃ prākṛtaṃ sacarācaram

Translation

ஹே மகேசானே! அருள் புரிவாயாக; விஷ்ணுவை விழிப்பிக்க—விழிப்பிக்க. அசைவும் அசையாததும் உடைய இந்த முழு பிரக்ருதி உலகம் உன் ஆட்சிக்குள் உள்ளது.

Word by Word

• कृपाम्: compassion, mercy
• कृपाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरु: do, show
• कुरु: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महेशान: O Maheśāna
• महेशान: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बोधय: awaken, make understand
• बोधय: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) भावः—बोधय = ‘cause to understand’

• बोधय: awaken (again)
• बोधय: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• त्वदधीनम्: dependent on you
• त्वदधीनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—त्वदधीन = ‘dependent on you’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्राकृतम्: natural, material
• प्राकृतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स-चर-अचरम्: with the moving and the unmoving
• स-चर-अचरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः—चरं च अचरं च (moving and unmoving) with सह- (together with)

Speaker

Brahma (petitioning Lord Shiva in the war narrative context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kṛpāṃ kuru maheśāna viṣṇuṃ bodhaya bodhaya | tvadadhīnamidaṃ sarvaṃ prākṛtaṃ sacarācaram

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse centers on Shiva’s anugraha (grace) as the decisive power that awakens even great deities and restores right order. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it affirms Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) and the entire prākṛta universe—moving and unmoving—as dependent on Him.

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

It supports Saguna Shiva worship by portraying Shiva as the responsive Lord (Maheśāna) who bestows compassion and awakening. Linga worship similarly approaches Shiva as the accessible form through which grace is invoked to remove obscuration and restore dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is grace-oriented japa and prayer—especially Panchakshara mantra japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—seeking inner bodhana (awakening). In Shaiva practice, this is often paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.