Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas

Devastuti

Devanagari script

प्रसन्नो भव देवेश रक्षास्मान्सर्वदा शिव । त्वत्प्रजाश्च वयं नाथ सदा त्वच्छरणं गताः

Transliteration

prasanno bhava deveśa rakṣāsmānsarvadā śiva | tvatprajāśca vayaṃ nātha sadā tvaccharaṇaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

اے دیویش شِو، مہربان ہو کر ہمیشہ ہماری حفاظت فرمائیے۔ اے ناتھ، ہم آپ ہی کی پرجا ہیں اور سدا آپ کی شَرَن میں آئے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• prasannaḥ: pleased, gracious
• prasannaḥ: Kartṛ-bhāva (कर्ता-भावः / predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (singular); predicative adjective संबोधनार्थे (addressed to the deity)

• bhava: be
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (singular), Parasmaipada; आदेश (command)

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (devasya īśaḥ)

• rakṣa: protect
• rakṣa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• asmān: us
• asmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Dvitīyā vibhakti (accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (plural)

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kālavyaya (temporal adverb)

• śiva: O Śiva
• śiva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• tvat-prajāḥ: your subjects/creatures
• tvat-prajāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tava prajāḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• nātha: O Lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kālavyaya (temporal adverb)

• tvat-śaraṇam: your refuge
• tvat-śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tava śaraṇam)

• gatāḥ: gone (have taken)
• gatāḥ: Kartṛ-bhāva (कर्ता-भावः / predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + gata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya past participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicative with implied ‘smaḥ’ (we are)

Speaker

The devas (gods) praying to Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: Tryambaka as the refuge-giving Lord invoked for protection and well-being; the verse’s plea ‘rakṣāsmān sarvadā’ echoes the protective, grace-bestowing aspect central to the Tryambaka/Mṛtyuñjaya stream of Śaiva devotion.

Significance: Seeking rakṣā (protection) and śaraṇāgati; reinforces the pilgrim’s identity as Śiva’s prajā (belonging to Him), a key Siddhānta posture of dependence on Pati.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It expresses śaraṇāgati—complete surrender to Pati (Śiva), acknowledging the devotees as His prajā (dependents) and seeking His anugraha (grace) as the true source of protection and well-being.

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

The prayer addresses Śiva personally as Deveśa and Nātha, a Saguna approach where the devotee relates to the Lord as protector and refuge—an attitude central to Liṅga worship, where the Liṅga is revered as Śiva’s accessible presence bestowing grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple bhakti practice is implied: daily refuge-taking with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a protective prayer to Śiva, performed with humility (dāsya-bhāva) and remembrance of His guardianship.