Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

सा शक्तिरम्बिका प्रोक्ता प्रकृतिस्सकलेश्वरी । त्रिदेवजननी नित्या मूलकारणमित्युत

Transliteration

sā śaktirambikā proktā prakṛtissakaleśvarī | tridevajananī nityā mūlakāraṇamityuta

Translation

وہی شکتی ‘امبیکا’ کہلاتی ہے؛ وہی پرکرتی، سب کی ایشوری ہے۔ وہ تریدیو کی ابدی جننی ہے اور ساری سृष्टی کی اصل علت کے طور پر بیان کی جاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शक्तिः: power, Shakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अम्बिका: Ambikā (Mother Goddess)
• अम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शक्तेः विशेषण/समनाम (apposition)

• प्रोक्ता: is said/called
• प्रोक्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘कथिता/उच्यते’ अर्थे

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti, primordial nature
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शक्तेः विशेषण/समनाम

• सकलेश्वरी: mistress of all
• सकलेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सकलानाम् ईश्वरी)

• त्रिदेवजननी: mother of the three gods
• त्रिदेवजननी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदेवानाम् जननी)

• नित्या: eternal
• नित्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मूलकारणम्: the root cause
• मूलकारणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मूलं च तत् कारणं च)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उत: also/indeed
• उत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: origin of the trimūrti as functional deities from the eternal Ambikā as root-cause

Characters & Entities

• Ambika
• Shakti
• Prakriti
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It establishes Ambikā (Śakti) as the eternal, all-governing power behind manifestation—honoring the Shiva–Shakti principle where the Lord’s power is the basis for creation, sustenance, and dissolution.

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

Linga worship points to Shiva as the supreme Pati; this verse clarifies that the Lord’s manifest activity is inseparable from Śakti (Ambikā). Thus, Saguna worship reveres Shiva together with his dynamic power that unfolds the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Shiva–Shakti dhyāna: meditate on the Linga as Shiva (conscious Lord) and on Ambikā as Śakti (divine power), while japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” is performed with steady devotion.