Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्राह हरो हरिम् । प्रणिपत्य स्थितं मूर्ध्ना कृतांजलिपुटः स्वयम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā punaḥ prāha haro harim | praṇipatya sthitaṃ mūrdhnā kṛtāṃjalipuṭaḥ svayam

Translation

برہما نے کہا: اس کے کلام کو سن کر ہَر (شیو) نے پھر ہَری (وشنو) سے خطاب کیا۔ وہ خود سر جھکا کر سجدۂ تعظیم بجا لایا، ہاتھ جوڑ کر ادب سے کھڑا ہو کر بولا۔

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again)

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• स्थितम्: standing
• स्थितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; here used adverbially/predicatively with ‘स्वयम्’ (standing)

• मूर्ध्ना: with (his) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands folded (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative): कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्य (hands folded into a hollow)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मार्थक (reflexive adverb: himself)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Transition from dispute to instruction: theophany yields to didactic reconciliation

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It highlights divine humility and sacred decorum: even exalted deities communicate through reverence (praṇāma and añjali), teaching that devotion and humility are integral to dharma and to receiving higher wisdom.

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

The verse portrays Saguna Śiva (Hara) with devotional gestures, reinforcing that worship is not merely conceptual but expressed through embodied reverence—añjali, bowing, and attentive listening—central to Linga-upāsanā and temple pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt the posture of añjali and a bowed head while chanting Shiva mantras (such as the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating humility (vinaya) and focused listening (śravaṇa) as a preparatory sādhanā.