Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation

Devanagari script

एवं सृष्टिप्रकारस्ते वर्णितो मुनिसत्तम । शिवाज्ञया विरचितो ब्रह्मांडस्य मयाऽखिलः

Transliteration

evaṃ sṛṣṭiprakāraste varṇito munisattama | śivājñayā viracito brahmāṃḍasya mayā'khilaḥ

Translation

โอ้ มุนีผู้ประเสริฐยิ่ง ดังนี้เราได้พรรณนาวิธีแห่งการสร้างแก่ท่านโดยครบถ้วนแล้ว ระเบียบแห่งพรหมาณฑะทั้งสิ้นนี้ เรารังสรรค์ขึ้นเพียงด้วยพระบัญชาของพระศิวะเท่านั้น

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sṛṣṭi-prakāraḥ: the manner of creation
• sṛṣṭi-prakāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + prakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'sṛṣṭeḥ prakāraḥ' (mode/type of creation)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Caturthī (चतुर्थी/4th) or Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/6th), Ekavacana; here dative: 'to you'

• varṇitaḥ: has been described
• varṇitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: varṇ (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; √varṇ (वर्ण्) = described

• muni-sattama: O best of sages
• muni-sattama: Sambodhyā (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (सम्बोधन), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'sattamaḥ muniḥ' (best of sages)

• śiva-ājñayā: by Śiva’s command
• śiva-ājñayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (तृतीया/3rd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'śivasya ājñā' (Śiva's command); instrumental of means

• viracitaḥ: was composed
• viracitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√rac (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; vi+√rac (रच्) = composed/arranged

• brahmāṇḍasya: of the universe/egg of Brahmā
• brahmāṇḍasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/6th), Ekavacana

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā (तृतीया/3rd), Ekavacana

• akhilaḥ: entire, complete
• akhilaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (प्रथमा/1st), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sṛṣṭiprakāraḥ (understood)

Speaker

Brahmā

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a shrine account; it asserts hierarchical causality: Brahmā’s cosmological ordering is executed only through Śiva’s ājñā (command), establishing Śiva as the ultimate governor of creation.

Significance: Cultivates śaraṇāgati (reliance) on Śiva as the true source behind all cosmic agencies; supports devotion that transcends mere deva-worship to Pati-bhakti.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: ordering of the brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva as the supreme Lord (Pati) whose command governs creation, while Brahmā functions as the empowered agent—teaching devotees to see cosmic activity as rooted in Śiva’s will rather than independent power.

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

By attributing creation to Śiva’s ājñā, the verse supports Saguna worship: the devotee reveres Śiva (often as the Liṅga) as the sovereign source of order, to whom even Brahmā is accountable.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ājñā-smarana (remembrance of Śiva’s lordship) during japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati) and humility before Śiva as the inner ruler.