Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

देव-गण-समरः

Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle

Devanagari script

न स्वज्ञेयो महेशानस्सर्ववेदायुतेन सः । भक्तेरनन्यशरणैर्नान्यथेति महाश्रुतिः

Transliteration

na svajñeyo maheśānassarvavedāyutena saḥ | bhakterananyaśaraṇairnānyatheti mahāśrutiḥ

Translation

Si Maheshāna (Panginoong Śiva) ay hindi tunay na makikilala sa pamamagitan lamang ng pagkamaster kahit ng di-mabilang na mga Veda. Ipinahahayag ng dakilang patotoo ng kasulatan na Siya’y nakakamtan lamang ng mga debotong tanging sa bhakti kumakapit—hindi sa ibang paraan.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• sva-jñeyaḥ: to be known by oneself / self-knowable
• sva-jñeyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + jñeya (कृदन्त; √jñā ज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; जञेय = विधिलिङ्गार्थ-भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक-तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive)

• maheśānaḥ: Maheshāna (Śiva)
• maheśānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sarva-veda-āyutena: by (even) ten-thousand Vedas / by countless Vedas
• sarva-veda-āyutena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘आयुत’ = दशसहस्र (ten-thousand)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/co-referential subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhakteḥ: from devotion / apart from devotion
• bhakteḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान) एकवचन (ablative)

• ananya-śaraṇaiḥ: by those having no other refuge (exclusive devotees)
• ananya-śaraṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ananya (प्रातिपदिक) + śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘अनन्यशरण’ = whose refuge is none other (exclusive refuge)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• mahā-śrutiḥ: the great śruti / authoritative scripture
• mahā-śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: reinforces that pilgrimage, vows, and learning culminate only when grounded in ananya-bhakti and Śiva’s grace; tīrtha-yātrā is thus framed as a support to surrender rather than an independent means.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is not grasped by intellectual or scriptural accumulation alone; He is realized through ananya-bhakti—exclusive surrender and heartfelt devotion that opens the way to grace and liberation.

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

Linga/Saguna worship becomes effective when approached as single-pointed refuge in Shiva, not as a mere ritual or display of learning; the verse emphasizes devotion as the essential inner principle behind outer worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice one-pointed bhakti: daily japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with exclusive refuge in Shiva, supported by simple Shiva-puja (e.g., offering water to the Linga) as an expression of surrender.