Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स्मितपूर्वं सुरर्षभः । रजसा बद्धवैरश्च तमवोचं जनार्दनम्

Transliteration

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā smitapūrvaṃ surarṣabhaḥ | rajasā baddhavairaśca tamavocaṃ janārdanam

Translation

ครั้นได้สดับถ้อยคำนั้น ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่เทวะยิ้มอย่างอ่อนโยนก่อน; แล้วด้วยจิตที่ถูกคุณรชัสผูกไว้ด้วยความเป็นปฏิปักษ์ จึงกล่าวแก่ชนารทนะ (วิษณุ)

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (his)
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Genitive singular of pronoun)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Accusative singular neuter)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Accusative singular neuter)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having heard’

• स्मितपूर्वम्: smilingly/with a prior smile
• स्मितपूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial), ‘with a smile first/preceded by a smile’

• सुरर्षभः: the bull among the gods (best of the gods)
• सुरर्षभः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: ‘of gods’ + ‘bull’); प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• रजसा: by passion/dust (rajas)
• रजसा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Instrumental singular)

• बद्धवैरः: having fixed enmity
• बद्धवैरः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध्) + वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘bound/firm’ + ‘enmity’); प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifies surarṣabhaḥ)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (Accusative singular)

• अवोचत्: said/spoke
• अवोचत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (Accusative singular; proper name)

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating the creation-context dialogue in Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Janardana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how rajas (passionate agitation) can bind even exalted beings into rivalry; Shaiva teaching points beyond the guṇas to the peace found in devotion to Pati (Śiva), who is not limited by such impulses.

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

By showing conflict arising from rajas, the text implicitly directs seekers toward Saguna Śiva worship—such as Liṅga-upāsanā—which steadies the mind and purifies the guṇas, preparing one for deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is rajas-śamana through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma dhāraṇa and calm, steady meditation to dissolve reactive enmity.