Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā

Devanagari script

तस्माल्लिंगाद्विनिर्गत्य सहस्रार्काधिकद्युतिः । उवाच तं विरूपाक्षस्साक्षाद्दाक्षायणीपतिः

Transliteration

tasmālliṃgādvinirgatya sahasrārkādhikadyutiḥ | uvāca taṃ virūpākṣassākṣāddākṣāyaṇīpatiḥ

Translation

అప్పుడు ఆ లింగమునుండి సహస్ర సూర్యులకన్నా అధిక తేజస్సుతో, త్రినేత్రుడు విరూపాక్షుడు—దాక్షాయణి (సతి) యొక్క సాక్షాత్ పతి—ప్రకటమై అతనితో పలికెను।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• लिङ्गात्: from the liṅga
• लिङ्गात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• विनिर्गत्य: having emerged
• विनिर्गत्य: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-निर्-गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• सहस्र-अर्क-अधिक-द्युतिः: whose radiance exceeded a thousand suns
• सहस्र-अर्क-अधिक-द्युतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + द्युति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (सहस्रार्केभ्यः अधिका द्युतिः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (उक्त-कर्ता-विशेषण)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विरूपाक्षः: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• विरूपाक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूपाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रत्यक्षार्थे (directly/in person)

• दाक्षायणी-पतिः: husband of Dākṣāyaṇī (Śiva)
• दाक्षायणी-पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाक्षायणी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: दाक्षायण्याः पतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विरूपाक्षः-समनाधिकरण

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Virūpākṣa, Dākṣāyaṇīpati)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A liṅga becomes the locus of Śiva’s self-manifest epiphany: from within the liṅga, the Lord emerges in overwhelming radiance to grant direct instruction and boons to the tapasvin.

Significance: Establishes liṅga-darśana as a direct meeting-point with Pati; devotion to the liṅga is portrayed as leading to sākṣāt-kāra (immediate encounter).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: theophany (sākṣāt darśana) from the liṅga, described with thousand-sun brilliance

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga
• Sati (Dakshayani)

FAQs

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

The verse depicts Śiva’s anugraha (grace) as He becomes directly manifest from the Liṅga—showing that the Liṅga is not merely a symbol, but a sacred locus where Pati (Śiva) reveals Himself to uplift the bound soul (paśu) and dissolve fear and ignorance.

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

Śiva’s emergence from the Liṅga affirms Liṅga-upāsanā as worship of Saguna Śiva who can be personally encountered. The “thousand suns” radiance expresses His transcendent power while still taking an approachable, worship-worthy form for devotees.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Liṅga-dhyāna with bhakti: contemplate Śiva’s effulgence within the Liṅga while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, where traditional, accompany it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and reverence.