Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 93

रुद्राक्ष-माहात्म्य

Rudrākṣa Māhātmya — The Greatness of Rudraksha

Devanagari script

एतद्यः शृणुयान्नित्यं माहात्म्यपरमं शुभम् । रुद्रा क्षभस्मनोर्भक्त्यासर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

etadyaḥ śṛṇuyānnityaṃ māhātmyaparamaṃ śubham | rudrā kṣabhasmanorbhaktyāsarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt

Translation

Sinumang araw-araw na nakikinig sa lubhang mapalad at banal na salaysay ng kadakilaan na ito, na may debosyon sa mga butil na Rudrākṣa at sa bhasma (banal na abo), ay makakamtan ang lahat ng ninanais na layon.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (teaching)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), एकवचन; ‘he should hear’

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• माहात्म्य-परमम्: supreme as a sacred greatness
• माहात्म्य-परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहात्म्य + परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (माहात्म्ये परमम्) ‘शुभम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• रुद्राक्ष-भस्मनोः: of rudrākṣa and ash
• रुद्राक्ष-भस्मनोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्राक्ष + भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; ‘of rudrākṣa and ash’

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (by means of devotion)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘कामान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अवाप्नुयात्: should obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudrākṣa
• Bhasma

FAQs

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

It elevates śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Shiva’s māhātmya as a daily sādhana, and teaches that Rudrākṣa and bhasma—when used with bhakti—become Shaiva supports for both worldly well-being and higher spiritual attainment under Pati (Shiva).

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

Rudrākṣa and bhasma are classic external marks of Saguna Shiva worship, commonly used alongside Linga-pūjā; the verse links hearing Shiva’s glory with embodied devotional practice, integrating inner remembrance with outer Shaiva observance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily listening/recitation of the Rudrākṣa–bhasma māhātmya, combined with devotional wearing of Rudrākṣa and application of sacred ash (Tripuṇḍra), ideally while remembering Shiva and repeating the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).