Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City

Devanagari script

किं बहूक्तेन राजेन्द्र मनसा संविचार्य च । रुद्रं विद्धि महेशानं परं ब्रह्म चिदात्मकम्

Transliteration

kiṃ bahūktena rājendra manasā saṃvicārya ca | rudraṃ viddhi maheśānaṃ paraṃ brahma cidātmakam

Translation

Còn nói nhiều làm gì nữa, hỡi Đại vương? Hãy suy xét kỹ trong tâm, và hãy biết Rudra chính là Maheśāna—Brahman Tối Thượng, có bản tính là Chân Thức thuần tịnh.

Word by Word

• किम्: what? (what use)
• किम्: प्रश्न/अव्ययार्थ (idiomatic: ‘what (need)’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• बहूक्तेन: with much talk; by many words
• बहूक्तेन: करण (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहूक्त (प्रातिपदिक; बहु + उक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘बहु उक्तम्’ = much-said/talk

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः’

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संविचार्य: having well considered
• संविचार्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वि√चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) = having reflected/considered well

• च: and
• च: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय/conjunction

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विद्धि: know; understand
• विद्धि: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Great Lord)
• महेशानम्: कर्म (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; रुद्रम् इति कर्मस्य विशेषण/समनाधिकरण

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (adjective of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ब्रह्म इति विशेषण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman, the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: कर्म (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• चिदात्मकम्: whose essence is consciousness
• चिदात्मकम्: विशेषण (adjective of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-समासः ‘चिद् एव आत्मा यस्य’ = of the nature of consciousness; ब्रह्म इति विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teaching; the verse addresses a king within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Viśvanātha is celebrated as the locus where Śiva grants jñāna and liberation; the verse’s identification of Rudra with para-brahman (cidātmaka) matches Kāśī’s mokṣa-kṣetra theology.

Significance: Contemplation of Rudra as cidātmaka para-brahman supports jñāna-bhakti and liberation; Kāśī is famed for ‘tāraka’ upadeśa (liberating instruction) associated with Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Maheshana
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It compresses the teaching into a single conclusion: Rudra (Shiva) is not merely a deity among many but the Supreme Reality—pure Consciousness—realized through inner reflection, leading toward liberation.

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

It supports Saguna worship (such as Linga-puja) as a doorway to the highest insight: the worshipped Rudra is ultimately the transcendent Brahman, cid-ātmakam, beyond form while also graciously present in form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct instruction is manasā saṁvicārya—steady contemplation: meditate on Shiva as cit (pure awareness), ideally supported by japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and focused Linga-dhyāna.