Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 58

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

तत्त्वानामिति संख्यानमुक्तं ते ऋषिसत्तम । जडात्मकञ्च तत्सर्वं प्रकृतेः पुरुषं विना

Transliteration

tattvānāmiti saṃkhyānamuktaṃ te ṛṣisattama | jaḍātmakañca tatsarvaṃ prakṛteḥ puruṣaṃ vinā

Translation

โอ ฤๅษีผู้ประเสริฐ ข้าพเจ้าได้กล่าวจำนวนแห่งตัตตวะทั้งหลายแก่ท่านแล้ว ทั้งหมดนั้นเป็นสภาวะอจิต (หยาบและเฉื่อย) และนอกจากปรกฤติแล้ว ที่นั่นไม่มีปุรุษะเป็นหลักแห่งสำนึก

Word by Word

• tattvānām: of the principles (tattvas)
• tattvānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-कारक अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थ (quotative/marker)

• saṃkhyānam: enumeration/count
• saṃkhyānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uktam: has been stated
• uktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case/dative), एकवचन; ‘to you’

• ṛṣi-sattama: O best of sages
• ṛṣi-sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ऋषीणां सत्तमः)

• jaḍa-ātmakam: of inert nature
• jaḍa-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जडः आत्मा यस्य/जडस्वभावम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• tat: that
• tat: Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that’

• sarvam: all/entire
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies tat)

• prakṛteḥ: of/from Prakṛti
• prakṛteḥ: Sambandha/Apādāna (सम्बन्ध/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी (genitive/ablative), एकवचन; सन्दर्भे—‘of/from Prakṛti’

• puruṣam: Puruṣa (spirit/person)
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक उपपद (preposition-like indeclinable) governing accusative

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Purusha
• Tattvas

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment (viveka): the enumerated tattvas belong to Prakriti and are inert; liberation requires recognizing the conscious principle beyond them—ultimately fulfilled in Shaiva Siddhanta by turning to Pati (Shiva) who grants true awakening and release.

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

Linga worship trains the mind to shift from identification with material tattvas (Prakriti) to the conscious Lord who transcends them. Saguna Shiva is meditated upon as the compassionate Pati who illumines the soul and loosens bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tattva-viveka during japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"): observe body-mind as Prakriti’s inert modifications, and mentally offer them into Shiva while applying Tripundra (bhasma) as a reminder of detachment from the material field.