Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

परिकल्येति तां मूर्तिमैश्वरीं शुद्धरूपिणीम् । अद्वितीयमनाद्यंतं सर्वाभासं चिदात्मकम् । अंतर्दधे पराख्यं यद्ब्रह्म सर्वगमव्ययम्

Transliteration

parikalyeti tāṃ mūrtimaiśvarīṃ śuddharūpiṇīm | advitīyamanādyaṃtaṃ sarvābhāsaṃ cidātmakam | aṃtardadhe parākhyaṃ yadbrahma sarvagamavyayam

Translation

ครั้นทรงบันดาลให้ปรากฏรูปแห่งอีศวรีผู้บริสุทธิ์แล้ว พรหมันสูงสุดที่เรียกว่า ‘ปรา’ ก็เร้นกาย—เป็นเอกไร้คู่ ไร้ต้นไร้ปลาย เป็นฐานแห่งสรรพปรากฏการณ์ เป็นสภาวะแห่งจิตสำนึก แผ่ทั่วและไม่เสื่อมสูญ.

Word by Word

• परिकल्य: having arranged/considered
• परिकल्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष?—अत्र पाठभेद/सन्ध्यनियमः; ‘परिकल्येति’ इति वाक्ये ‘इति’ सह उद्धरण-रूपेण; अर्थतः ‘परिकल्प्य/परिकल्य’ (having arranged/considered) इति क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मूर्तिम्: form/manifestation
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऐश्वरीम्: divine, sovereign
• ऐश्वरीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘ईश्वरसम्बन्धिनी/ईश्वर्या’

• शुद्धरूपिणीम्: of pure form
• शुद्धरूपिणीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध-रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक; शुद्ध + रूपिणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शुद्धा रूपिणी’

• अद्वितीयम्: without a second
• अद्वितीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनादि-अन्तम्: beginningless and endless
• अनादि-अन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; अनादि + अन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘आदिश्च अन्तश्च न विद्यते’ (beginningless and endless)

• सर्वाभासम्: the manifestation/illumination of all
• सर्वाभासम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-आभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सर्वेषां आभासः/प्रकाशः’

• चित्-आत्मकम्: of the nature of consciousness
• चित्-आत्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; चित् + आत्मक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘चिद्रूपः आत्मा यस्य’

• अन्तर्दधे: (he/it) disappeared/withdrew
• अन्तर्दधे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर् + धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘अन्तर्धा’ (to disappear/conceal oneself)

• पराख्यम्: called ‘Parā’
• पराख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; परा + आख्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘परा इति आख्या यस्य/परनाम’

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम—अत्र ‘यद् ब्रह्म’ (that which is Brahman)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman, the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वगम्: all-pervading
• सर्वगम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अव्ययम्: imperishable, immutable
• अव्ययम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘अविनाशी/immutable’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: parikalyeti tāṃ mūrtimaiśvarīṃ śuddharūpiṇīm | advitīyamanādyaṃtaṃ sarvābhāsaṃ cidātmakam | aṃtardadhe parākhyaṃ yadbrahma sarvagamavyayam

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Tirodhāna (self-concealment): Parā Brahman ‘withdraws’ after manifesting Īśvarī, establishing the hidden transcendence behind appearances.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parashakti
• Ishvara
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It teaches that after the divine Śakti-form is manifested, the Supreme Reality (Parā Brahman) remains non-dual, beginningless, and pure Consciousness, yet chooses to be “hidden” (antardadhe)—indicating the mystery of transcendence behind all creation and experience.

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

The verse bridges Saguna and Nirguna: the manifest divine form (Īśvarī/Śakti) supports devotional worship, while the concealed Parā Brahman points to Shiva’s formless, all-pervading consciousness—often contemplated through the Śiva-liṅga as a symbol of the unmanifest Absolute.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nididhyāsana (deep contemplation) on Shiva as cid-ātman—reciting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while meditating that all appearances arise in Consciousness, and the Supreme remains imperishable beyond form.