Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation

Devanagari script

एवं कर्मानुरूपेण प्रणिनामंबिकापते । आज्ञया बहवो जाता असंख्याता द्विजर्षभाः

Transliteration

evaṃ karmānurūpeṇa praṇināmaṃbikāpate | ājñayā bahavo jātā asaṃkhyātā dvijarṣabhāḥ

Translation

ข้าแต่พระศิวะ ผู้เป็นอัมพิกาปติ ตามกรรมของสัตว์ทั้งหลายโดยส่วนของตน ด้วยพระบัญชาของพระองค์ สรรพชีวิตมากมายได้บังเกิด—แท้จริงนับไม่ถ้วน โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ทวิชะ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• कर्म-अनुरूपेण: in accordance with (their) deeds
• कर्म-अनुरूपेण: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः अनुरूपः) ; adverbial instrumental

• प्रणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्रणिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; ‘of living beings’ (genitive plural)

• अम्बिका-पते: O lord of Ambikā
• अम्बिका-पते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अम्बिकायाः पतिः)

• आज्ञया: by (your) command
• आज्ञया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; instrumental ‘by/through command’

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता) बहुवचन; adjective qualifying ‘dvijarṣabhāḥ’

• जाताः: were born/produced
• जाताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; past passive participle used predicatively (‘were born/produced’)

• असंख्याताः: innumerable
• असंख्याताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + संख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेधपूर्वक विशेषण; ‘uncounted, innumerable’

• द्विज-ऋषभाः: O best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-ऋषभाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता) बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः ‘द्विजानां ऋषभाः’ = ‘best of the twice-born’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the creation account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose command governs manifestation—while affirming that embodied birth unfolds in alignment with each being’s karma, highlighting moral causality under divine order.

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

By naming Śiva as “Ambikāpati,” the verse points to Saguna Śiva—the personal Lord who actively ordains creation; Linga-worship approaches this same Lord as the sustaining, regulating principle behind karmic destiny.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is karma-purification through Śiva-bhakti—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and disciplined conduct—so future births and bondage lessen under Śiva’s grace.