Shloka 79

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशमुखो विश्वेदेवस्तद्धारणान्नरः । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति सौभाग्यं मंगलंलभेत्

Transliteration

trayodaśamukho viśvedevastaddhāraṇānnaraḥ | sarvānkāmānavāpnoti saubhāgyaṃ maṃgalaṃlabhet

Translation

త్రయోదశముఖుడైన విశ్వదేవుని ఈ విధంగా ధ్యానధారణచేసినవాడు ఆయనను పొందును. ఆ ధారణవల్ల సర్వకామఫలసిద్ధి కలిగి, సౌభాగ్యమూ మంగళమూ పొందును.

Word by Word

• त्रयोदशमुखः: having thirteen faces
• त्रयोदशमुखः: विशेषण (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• विश्वेदेवः: Viśvedeva (the collective gods)
• विश्वेदेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वे + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वानां देवानाम्)

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धारणात्: from wearing/holding (it)
• धारणात्: अपादान (अपादान/Ablative cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: विशेषण (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सौभाग्यम्: good fortune
• सौभाग्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मङ्गलम्: auspiciousness
• मङ्गलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the fruits of Viśveśvara-dhāraṇā to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady dhāraṇā on Lord Shiva’s manifest (saguṇa) form refines the mind and aligns the devotee with Śiva’s grace, yielding maṅgala (auspiciousness) and saubhāgya (well-being), while preparing one for higher liberation-oriented devotion.

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

The verse emphasizes saguṇa-upāsanā—retaining a defined form of Viśveśvara in contemplation. In Shaiva practice, such form-meditation naturally complements Liṅga worship, where the Liṅga is approached as Śiva’s accessible manifest support for concentration and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhāraṇā: after preliminary purity (e.g., simple japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), hold Viśveśvara’s form steadily in the heart or between the brows, maintaining one-pointed attention as an offering to Śiva.