Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

रुद्ररथ-निर्माणवर्णनम् / Description of Rudra’s Divine Chariot Construction

Devanagari script

घंटा सरस्वती देवी धनुषः श्रुतिरूपिणी । इषुर्विष्णुर्महातेजास्त्वग्निश्शल्यं प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

ghaṃṭā sarasvatī devī dhanuṣaḥ śrutirūpiṇī | iṣurviṣṇurmahātejāstvagniśśalyaṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

Chuông là Nữ thần Sarasvatī; cây cung chính là Veda trong hình thái Śruti—lời mặc khải được nghe. Mũi tên là Viṣṇu đại uy quang, và Agni được tôn xưng là mũi sắt nhọn (śalya) của mũi tên ấy.

Word by Word

• घण्टा: bell
• घण्टा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• धनुषः: of the bow
• धनुषः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• श्रुति-रूपिणी: having the form of ‘śruti’ (sound/Veda)
• श्रुति-रूपिणी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; रूपिणी = रूपिन्-शब्दस्य स्त्रीप्रत्ययान्त

• इषुः: arrow
• इषुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; देव-नाम

• महा-तेजाः: of great splendor
• महा-तेजाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; तेजस्-शब्दः प्रथमा एकवचन ‘तेजाः’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• अग्निः: Agni (fire-god)
• अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• शल्यम्: arrowhead/point; dart
• शल्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is proclaimed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Sarasvatī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Deities as functional powers: śruti as bow, Viṣṇu as arrow, Agni as piercing tip

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvati
• Vishnu
• Agni
• Shruti (Veda)

FAQs

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

It teaches that divine power in sacred history is rooted in spiritual principles: Sarasvatī (wisdom), Śruti (Vedic revelation), Viṣṇu (preserving cosmic force), and Agni (transforming fire) together become instruments of dharma—implying that victory in Shiva’s cosmic order is ultimately upheld by knowledge, revelation, preservation, and purification.

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

In Shaiva Siddhānta, Saguna Shiva is worshipped through revealed scripture and disciplined ritual. By identifying Śruti as the ‘bow’ and Agni as the ‘tip,’ the verse highlights that Vedic authority and fire-ritual (homa) support right worship—complementing Linga-pūjā where mantra, purity, and scriptural injunctions guide devotion toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is scripturally guided worship: recite Shiva mantras (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with purity, and honor Agni through lamp offering (dīpa) or homa where appropriate—treating knowledge (Sarasvatī/Śruti) as the foundation of effective sādhanā.