Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

पंचवक्त्रं दशभुजं गौरकर्पूरवन्मुने । नानाकांति समायुक्तं नानाभूषणभूषितम्

Transliteration

paṃcavaktraṃ daśabhujaṃ gaurakarpūravanmune | nānākāṃti samāyuktaṃ nānābhūṣaṇabhūṣitam

Translation

ดูก่อนมุนี เขาได้เห็นพระศิวะในรูปอันงดงาม มีห้าพักตร์สิบกร ผ่องสว่างขาวดุจกำยานการบูร เปี่ยมด้วยรัศมีนานาประการ และประดับด้วยเครื่องอลังการทิพย์หลากหลาย

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• दशभुजम्: ten-armed
• दशभुजम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• गौरकर्पूरवत्: like white camphor
• गौरकर्पूरवत्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौर + कर्पूर + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (वत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; उपमानवाचक विशेषण

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• नानाकान्ति: of many splendors
• नानाकान्ति: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (बहुविधकान्तियुक्त)

• समायुक्तम्: endowed/connected
• समायुक्तम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नानाभूषणभूषितम्: adorned with many ornaments
• नानाभूषणभूषितम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (भूष् धातु + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) अन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (नानाभूषणैः भूषितम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna-Śiva—Śiva graciously taking a perceivable form for the devotee’s vision—showing that divine compassion makes the transcendent (Pati) approachable through darśana, devotion, and contemplation.

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

While the Liṅga points to Śiva’s formless, limitless reality (Nirguṇa), this description highlights Śiva’s manifest attributes (Saguṇa) used in dhyāna and pūjā; both modes are complementary in Shaiva practice, leading the mind from form to the formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna (meditative visualization) on Pañcavaktra Śiva—radiant, ornamented, and multi-armed—can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” as a focused devotional practice.