Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च

Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा ऋषयस्सर्वे सुदीनतरमाकुलाः । संतस्थिरे चंडिकाग्रे कृतांजलिपुटास्तदा

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityuktvā ṛṣayassarve sudīnataramākulāḥ | saṃtasthire caṃḍikāgre kṛtāṃjalipuṭāstadā

Translation

梵天说道：说罢，诸位圣仙皆愁苦纷乱、忧患更深，便合掌恭敬，立于旃提迦（Caṇḍikā）之前祈求。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) from √वच्: ‘having said’

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• सुदीनतरम्: more wretchedly
• सुदीनतरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दीन-तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तर्हि-प्रत्यय (comparative) ‘more miserable’; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोग (adverbially)

• आकुलाः: disturbed/agitated
• आकुलाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण/Predicate to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सन्तस्थिरे: stood/assembled
• सन्तस्थिरे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• चण्डिकाग्रे: in front of Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिकाग्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: चण्डिकायाः अग्रे; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कृताञ्जलिपुटाः: with hands folded (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिपुटाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण/Predicate to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-अञ्जलि-पुट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः येषाम् (hands folded as a hollowed cup); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘having made folded hands’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Chandika

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): when the sages are shaken by suffering, they approach the divine with humility (añjali), showing that grace is approached through reverence, not ego.

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

Though the sages stand before Caṇḍikā (a saguna, approachable form of the Divine), the act of folded-hands devotion reflects the same bhakti-attitude central to Liṅga worship in the Shiva Purana—approaching the Lord through visible, grace-giving forms.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is añjali and stuti (reverent salutation and prayer). As a Shaiva takeaway, one may add japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while standing or sitting in devotion, cultivating humility and steadiness.