Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

कामप्रभावः (कामा॑स्य प्रभाववर्णनम्) — The Power of Kāma and the (Ineffective) Attempt to Delude Śiva

Devanagari script

निश्श्वासमारुता मे हि नाना रूपमहाबलः । जाता गता लोलजिह्वा लोलाश्चातिभयंकराः

Transliteration

niśśvāsamārutā me hi nānā rūpamahābalaḥ | jātā gatā lolajihvā lolāścātibhayaṃkarāḥ

Translation

“Quả thật, những luồng gió phát ra từ hơi thở của Ta—muôn hình muôn vẻ, sức mạnh lớn lao—đã nổi lên và chuyển động khắp nơi. Với lưỡi rung rinh và dáng điệu không yên, chúng vô cùng đáng sợ.”

Word by Word

• निःश्वास-मारुताः: winds of (my) breath
• निःश्वास-मारुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘निःश्वासस्य मारुताः’ (winds of exhalation)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic genitive)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतु-बोधक अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् विशेषणम्; बहुवचनार्थे ‘various’

• रूप-महा-बलाः: of various forms and great strength
• रूप-महा-बलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महच्च तत् बलं येषां ते’ (very powerful); ‘रूप’ पूर्वपदेन विशेषण-सम्बन्धः (having forms)

• जाताः: arisen
• जाताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘born/arisen’

• गताः: gone forth
• गताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘gone/moved’

• लोल-जिह्वाः: with flickering tongues
• लोल-जिह्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोल (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘लोलाः जिह्वाः येषां ते’ (having flickering tongues)

• लोलाः: restless/flickering
• लोलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• अति-भयङ्कराः: extremely terrifying
• अति-भयङ्कराः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + भयङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-समास/कर्मधारयः—‘अत्यन्तं भयङ्कराः’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: proto-pralaya imagery (destructive winds issuing from Rudra’s breath)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Marut (winds)

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who generates and governs even terrifying cosmic forces. What appears fearsome in creation is still an expression of His ordered power, urging the devotee to take refuge in Shiva rather than in fear.

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

As Saguna Shiva, Rudra is portrayed with active cosmic functions—breath, prana, and the moving winds. Linga-worship trains the mind to see all energies (even destructive or frightening ones) as contained and sanctified in Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prāṇa-focused japa: mentally repeat the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the breath, contemplating Shiva as the inner ruler of prāṇa and vāyu, thereby steadying fear and restlessness.