Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

शिवस्तुतिवर्णनम् (Śiva-stuti-varṇanam) — “Description of Hymns in Praise of Śiva”

Devanagari script

सर्वेश्वरं भवाध्यक्षं सत्यं शिवमनुत्तमम् । कोटि भास्करसंकाशं त्वां नमामि च सर्वतः

Transliteration

sarveśvaraṃ bhavādhyakṣaṃ satyaṃ śivamanuttamam | koṭi bhāskarasaṃkāśaṃ tvāṃ namāmi ca sarvataḥ

Translation

నేను నిన్ను అన్ని వైపుల నుండీ నమస్కరిస్తున్నాను—హే సర్వేశ్వరా, భవాధ్యక్షా, సత్యస్వరూపా, అనుత్తమ శివా; నీ తేజస్సు కోటి సూర్యుల సమానము।

Word by Word

• सर्वेश्वरम्: Lord of all
• सर्वेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• भवाध्यक्षम्: overseer of existence
• भवाध्यक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भवस्य अध्यक्षः)

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• कोटिभास्करसंकाशम्: having the radiance of ten million suns
• कोटिभास्करसंकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + भास्कर + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कोटि-भास्कराणां संकाशः) ; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नमामि: I bow
• नमामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• सर्वतः: in every way/from all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/व्याप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; व्याप्त्यर्थ

Speaker

A devotee/warrior addressing Lord Shiva (as narrated by Sūta Gosvāmin in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The ‘crore-suns’ radiance is read devotionally as jñāna-prakāśa (light of consciousness) that burns pāśa; remembering this during pradoṣa or Śivarātri vigils supports inner illumination.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: सर्वेश्वरं भवाध्यक्षं सत्यं शिवमनुत्तमम् । कोटि भास्करसंकाशं त्वां नमामि च सर्वतः

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It expresses śaraṇāgati (complete surrender) to Shiva as Sarveśvara and Satya—Pati, the supreme reality who governs bhava (bonded worldly existence) and grants liberation when sincerely worshipped.

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

By praising Shiva’s blazing radiance “like ten million suns,” the verse supports saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Shiva’s manifest glory—while also affirming his transcendent supremacy (anuttama) that the Liṅga signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer repeated namaskāra with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing Shiva’s jyoti (inner light); this stuti can accompany daily Liṅga-pūjā with bhasma and rudrākṣa as Shaiva disciplines.