Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

अयमेव वरो नाथ यत्त्वं साक्षान्निरीक्ष्यसे । किमन्येन वरेणेश नमस्ते शशिशेखर

Transliteration

ayameva varo nātha yattvaṃ sākṣānnirīkṣyase | kimanyena vareṇeśa namaste śaśiśekhara

Translation

“ข้าแต่นาถะ พรมีเพียงนี้—ได้เห็นพระองค์โดยตรง. ข้าแต่พระอีศะ จะต้องการพรอื่นใดเล่า? ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ ผู้ทรงจันทร์เป็นมงกุฎ (ศศิเศขระ)”

Word by Word

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाथ: O Lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: that/whereby
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• निरीक्ष्यसे: you are seen / you show yourself to be seen
• निरीक्ष्यसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपदम्

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• अन्येन: with another
• अन्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरेण: by (any other) boon
• वरेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (indeclinable used in salutation)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative/4th) एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शशि-शेखर: O moon-crested one
• शशि-शेखर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि (प्रातिपदिक) + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Lord Śiva during the creation narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse articulates the Purāṇic climax common to many sthala narratives: the supreme fruit is sākṣāt-darśana of Śiva (often culminating in establishment of a liṅga), though no specific Jyotirliṅga is named here.

Significance: Defines the highest pilgrimage/vrata fruit as direct vision of Śiva; all other boons are secondary to grace-bestowed presence.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: namaste śaśiśekhara

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse declares that direct vision of Lord Shiva (sākṣāt-darśana) is itself the supreme blessing—greater than worldly gifts—because communion with Pati (Shiva) is the root of grace and liberation in the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit.

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

It supports Saguna devotion: the devotee longs to behold Shiva personally. In Linga-worship, the Linga is honored as Shiva’s accessible, worship-worthy presence through which the devotee seeks Shiva’s anugraha (grace) and inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is darśana-bhāvanā: worship with single-pointed devotion—japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with reverent Shiva-pūjā (optionally with bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa)—seeking not boons, but Shiva’s presence and grace.