Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

अथ प्रसन्नो भगवान्महेशः परमेश्वरः । दिव्यं शब्दमयं रूपमाख्याय प्रहसन्स्थितः

Transliteration

atha prasanno bhagavānmaheśaḥ parameśvaraḥ | divyaṃ śabdamayaṃ rūpamākhyāya prahasansthitaḥ

Translation

แล้วภควานมหेश ผู้เป็นปรเมศวร ทรงโปรดปราน ครั้นทรงประกาศรูปทิพย์อันเป็นสภาวะแห่งศัพทศักดิ์สิทธิ์แล้ว ก็ประทับอยู่ด้วยรอยยิ้มอ่อน

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle)

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• महेशः: Mahesha (Shiva)
• महेशः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नाम; कर्मधारयः (महान् ईशः)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नाम/विशेष्य

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शब्दमयम्: made of sound
• शब्दमयम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शब्देन मयम् = consisting of sound)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• आख्याय: having proclaimed
• आख्याय: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) + य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having declared/told’

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘laughing’

• स्थितः: stood/remained
• स्थितः: क्रियाविशेषण/अवस्था (State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘stood/remained’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as compassionate and reveals that His approachable manifestation can be contemplated as śabda (sacred sound/mantra). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, grace (prasāda) precedes true recognition of Pati (the Lord), and mantra becomes a doorway to His presence.

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

By calling Shiva’s form “śabdamaya,” the verse supports Saguna upāsanā through mantra—worship where sound and symbol (like the Liṅga) serve as tangible supports for devotion and concentration, guiding the devotee toward the Lord who ultimately transcends all forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with attentive contemplation of Shiva as present in sacred sound—especially steady repetition of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—paired with calm, smiling awareness (prasannatā) as a meditative mood.