Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

गिरिजातपः-परीक्षा तथा सप्तर्षि-आह्वानम्

Girijā’s Austerity-Test and the Summoning of the Seven Sages

Devanagari script

सप्तर्षय ऊचुः । देवदेव महादेव करुणासागर प्रभो । जाता वयं सुधन्या हि त्वया यदधुना स्मृताः

Transliteration

saptarṣaya ūcuḥ | devadeva mahādeva karuṇāsāgara prabho | jātā vayaṃ sudhanyā hi tvayā yadadhunā smṛtāḥ

Translation

سَپت رِشیوں نے کہا— اے دیوتاؤں کے دیوتا، اے مہادیو، اے کرُونا کے ساگر پرَبھو! ہم یقیناً دھنیہ ہو گئے، کہ آپ نے اب ہمیں یاد فرمایا۔

Word by Word

• sapta-ṛṣayaḥ: the seven sages
• sapta-ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• deva-deva: O God of gods
• deva-deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: देवानां देवः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mahā-deva: O Great God
• mahā-deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• karuṇā-sāgara: O ocean of compassion
• karuṇā-sāgara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karuṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: करुणायाः सागरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• jātāḥ: have become
• jātāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘become’

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• su-dhanyāḥ: very fortunate
• su-dhanyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘very fortunate’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• yat: since / because
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle), ‘since/because’

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• smṛtāḥ: (we were) remembered
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘remembered’

Speaker

Saptarishis (the Seven Sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: देवदेव महादेव करुणासागर प्रभो

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as karuṇāsāgara (an ocean of compassion) and teaches that the devotee’s highest fortune is the Lord’s gracious “remembrance,” a sign of divine favor that uplifts the soul toward liberation.

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

By addressing Śiva personally as “Lord” and “God of gods,” the sages model Saguna-bhakti—approaching Śiva as a compassionate, responsive deity—an attitude central to Linga worship where the devotee seeks the Lord’s grace and presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is bhakti with japa: repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with humility, praying for Śiva’s anugraha (grace); this verse emphasizes inner surrender more than a specific external rite.