Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

हयास्तस्य तथा प्रोक्ताश्चत्वारो निगमा मुने । ज्योतींषि भूषणं तेषामवशिष्टान्यतः परम्

Transliteration

hayāstasya tathā proktāścatvāro nigamā mune | jyotīṃṣi bhūṣaṇaṃ teṣāmavaśiṣṭānyataḥ param

Translation

ดูก่อนมุนี กล่าวกันว่าอาชาทั้งสี่ของเขาคือสี่นิกมะ (พระเวท) เครื่องประดับของพวกมันคือหมู่ดวงประทีปแห่งฟ้า และรายละเอียดที่เหลือนั้นได้พรรณนาต่อไปภายหน้า

Word by Word

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रोक्ताः: declared/said
• प्रोक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac + kta → prokta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of hayāḥ)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catvāra (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम् (numeral adjective)

• निगमाः: Vedas/scriptures
• निगमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• ज्योतींषि: lights/luminaries
• ज्योतींषि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (jyotis → jyotīṃṣi)

• भूषणम्: ornament
• भूषणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अवशिष्टानि: remaining
• अवशिष्टानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-√śiṣ + kta → avaśiṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of jyotīṃṣi)

• अतः: from this / therefore
• अतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/अपादान-अव्यय (indeclinable: from here/therefore/from this)

• परम्: beyond / further
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (elliptic: ‘beyond/after that’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Brahmāṇḍa-as-chariot symbolism (microcosm–macrocosm mapping)

Characters & Entities

• Vedas (Nigamas)
• Jyotis (celestial luminaries)

FAQs

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

The verse uses sacred symbolism: the four Vedas are portrayed as the very “horses” that carry the divine order, teaching that revelation (Nigama) supports and moves the cosmos, while the shining luminaries signify the splendor of dharma upheld by Shiva’s governance.

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

By presenting Vedas and celestial lights as attributes of a divine form, the text affirms Saguna contemplation—seeing the cosmos as Shiva’s expression—while guiding the devotee toward the Siddhānta insight that such forms ultimately point to the higher, transcendent Lord (Pati) beyond all attributes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Veda-supported japa and dhyāna: recite Shiva mantras (especially Pañcākṣarī) and meditate on Shiva as the inner light behind all “jyotis,” reinforcing devotion (bhakti) grounded in scriptural authority (Nigama).