Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृण्वतामिति तां वाचमंतर्द्धानमगान्महः । देवानां विस्मयोत्फुल्लनेत्राणां तत्तदा मुने

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | śṛṇvatāmiti tāṃ vācamaṃtarddhānamagānmahaḥ | devānāṃ vismayotphullanetrāṇāṃ tattadā mune

Translation

Sanatkumāra thưa: Nói xong lời ấy: “Hãy lắng nghe!”, đại linh quang kia liền ẩn mất khỏi tầm mắt. Khi ấy, ô bậc hiền triết, chư thiên đứng sững, mắt mở to vì kinh ngạc.

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत् + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सनन्/सनत् कुमारः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृण्वताम्: of those listening / while they listened
• शृण्वताम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle) ‘शृण्वत्’ का षष्ठी (Genitive) बहुवचन; ‘while (they) were listening’

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

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाचम्: speech/words
• वाचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्तर्धानम्: disappearance
• अन्तर्धानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर्धान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अगात्: went/entered
• अगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfective past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महः: the great one / the mighty (being)
• महः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-नेत्राणाम्: whose eyes were wide with amazement
• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-नेत्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय + उत्फुल्ल + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (विस्मयेन उत्फुल्लानि नेत्राणि येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; देवानाम् इति विशेषण

• तत्: then/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (correlative particle)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śṛṇvatām iti

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the moment when divine revelation is given and then withdrawn (antardhāna), leaving the devas in awe—pointing to Shiva’s sovereignty: grace appears, instructs, and disappears, turning the mind from spectacle toward inner steadiness and devotion.

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

The sudden manifestation and disappearance reflects Saguna Shiva’s līlā—He can be perceived through form and presence, yet is not confined by them. In Linga-worship, the devotee honors a visible support for contemplation while recognizing Shiva’s transcendent, ungraspable nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is attentive listening (śravaṇa) and sustained remembrance after the vision passes—steady japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and quiet meditation on Shiva’s presence beyond appearances.