Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

वेदशब्दोभयावेशं विश्वात्मानं व्यचिंतयत् । तदाऽभवदृषिस्तत्र ऋषेस्सारतमं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

vedaśabdobhayāveśaṃ viśvātmānaṃ vyaciṃtayat | tadā'bhavadṛṣistatra ṛṣessāratamaṃ smṛtam

Translation

เขาเพ่งพินิจอาตมันสากล ผู้แผ่ซ่านอยู่ทั้งสองด้านด้วยกังวานแห่งวาจาเวท. ครั้นแล้ว ณ ที่นั้นเอง ฤๅษีองค์หนึ่งบังเกิดขึ้น เป็นที่จดจำว่าเป็นแก่นอันประเสริฐยิ่งในหมู่ฤๅษีทั้งหลาย।

Word by Word

• veda-śabda-ubhaya-āveśam: the possession/entry of both Vedic and sonic (power)
• veda-śabda-ubhaya-āveśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (सम्बन्धनिर्देश: ‘of Veda and sound, both, entering/possessing’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• viśva-ātmānam: the Universal Self
• viśva-ātmānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘whose self is the universe’/‘universal self’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vyaciṃtayat: he contemplated / thought
• vyaciṃtayat: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• abhavat: became / arose
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ṛṣiḥ: a sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ṛṣeḥ: of the sage
• ṛṣeḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• sāratamam: the most excellent / best essence
• sāratamam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāratama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अतिशय-तमत् प्रत्यय (superlative)

• smṛtam: is remembered / is called
• smṛtam: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेयभावे ‘is called/remembered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Meditation on the Viśvātmā suffused with Vedic sound results in the arising of a supreme ṛṣi—an archetype for revelation: Veda-śabda as the medium through which Śiva’s knowledge becomes embodied in a seer.

Significance: Affirms śravaṇa–manana–nididhyāsana: Vedic sound and contemplation generate ṛṣi-bhāva (seerhood), supporting scriptural study as a Śaiva sādhana.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: revelatory emergence of a ṛṣi through Veda-śabda contemplation

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vedic sound (Śabda)
• Ṛṣi
• Universal Self (Viśvātmā)

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred sound (Vedic śabda) and inner contemplation reveal the Viśvātmā—ultimately pointing to Pati (Śiva) as the indwelling reality; from such divine awareness, true ṛṣi-hood (seerhood) manifests.

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

Vedic sound is a doorway from Saguna practice (mantra, praise, ritual recitation) toward direct realization of the Universal Self; Linga-worship similarly uses a visible focus to awaken inward meditation on Śiva as all-pervading.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with attentive contemplation—especially Shaiva mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī—paired with silent meditation on Śiva as Viśvātmā; this aligns with disciplined recitation and inward absorption rather than mere outward sound.