Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

रुद्ररथ-निर्माणवर्णनम् / Description of Rudra’s Divine Chariot Construction

Devanagari script

ईषादंडस्तथा व्यक्तं वृद्धिस्तस्यैव नड्वलः । कोणास्तस्याप्यहंकारो भूतानि च बलं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

īṣādaṃḍastathā vyaktaṃ vṛddhistasyaiva naḍvalaḥ | koṇāstasyāpyahaṃkāro bhūtāni ca balaṃ smṛtam

Translation

อีษาทัณฑะ (คานกลาง) เป็นที่รู้กันว่าเป็นตัตตวะ ‘วยักตะ’ อันปรากฏชัด; ความเพิ่มพูนของมันเรียกว่า ‘นัฑวละ’ มุมทั้งหลายกล่าวว่าเป็น ‘อะหังการะ’ และหมู่ภูตะทั้งปวงถูกจดจำว่าเป็น ‘พละ’ คือกำลังของมัน

Word by Word

• ईषा-दण्डः: the īṣā-pole/shaft
• ईषा-दण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईषा (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ईषायाः दण्डः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise)

• व्यक्तम्: clearly
• व्यक्तम्: Kriyā-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तं नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचनरूपम्; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (clearly/manifestly)

• वृद्धिः: growth/increase
• वृद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic: indeed/only)

• नड्वलः: naḍvala (a part/name)
• नड्वलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नड्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कोणाः: corners/angles
• कोणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also)

• अहंकारः: ego-sense
• अहंकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूतानि: beings/elements
• भूतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is said/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + स्मृत (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Sāṃkhya-like mapping: vyakta (manifest), ahaṅkāra, bhūtas—unfolding of tattvas within cosmic manifestation

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It maps parts of a symbolic structure to tattvas: the manifest world (vyakta), its expansion, ego (ahaṅkāra), and the elements (bhūtas). In Shaiva understanding, liberation comes by seeing these as dependent powers, not the Self—turning awareness toward Shiva as the transcendent Pati.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to recognize the manifested cosmos (vyakta), ego (ahaṅkāra), and elements (bhūtas) as offerings and supports within Shiva’s domain, while Shiva remains the inner Lord beyond them—Saguna for devotion, yet pointing to the Nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tattva-smaraṇa during japa: while repeating the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), observe the rise of ego and elemental sensations as “bhūtas,” then mentally offer them into the Linga/into Shiva, cultivating disidentification and steadiness.