Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तच्छुत्वा शंभुशक्तिस्सा प्रकृतिः क्रोधतत्परा । प्रत्युवाच तु तास्सर्वा महामाया मुनीश्वर

Transliteration

tacchutvā śaṃbhuśaktissā prakṛtiḥ krodhatatparā | pratyuvāca tu tāssarvā mahāmāyā munīśvara

Translation

圣贤之主啊，听闻此言，普拉克里蒂——即商布（Śambhu）之沙克蒂——一心趋向忿怒；而后，大幻力者摩诃摩耶（Mahāmāyā）答复了她们众人。

Word by Word

• तत्: that (speech/statement)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neut. accusative singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• शम्भु-शक्तिः: Śambhu’s power
• शम्भु-शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śambhoḥ śaktiḥ), स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (pronoun; fem. nominative singular)

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (Nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular); अप्पोजिशन (in apposition to सा)

• क्रोध-तत्परा: intent on anger
• क्रोध-तत्परा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी/तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (krodhe tatparā = intent on anger), स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular)

• प्रत्युवाच: she replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle; but/indeed)

• ताः: to them / those (fem.)
• ताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (pronoun; fem. accusative plural)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (fem. accusative plural); विशेषणम् (qualifier of ताः)

• महामाया: Mahāmāyā (Great Illusion)
• महामाया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (महती माया), स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular); कर्तृ-विशेषण/नाम (as epithet of Prakṛti)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (vocative singular); तत्पुरुषः (munīnām īśvaraḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Clarifies Mahāmāyā as not merely delusion but the Lord’s sovereign power that can conceal or reveal; pilgrims seek her favor to remove inner veiling and redirect wrath into dharmic protection.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Prakriti
• Mahāmāyā

FAQs

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

The verse identifies Prakṛti as Śambhu’s own Śakti and shows Mahāmāyā acting with deliberate power—indicating that cosmic events unfold through Śiva’s Śakti, while beings must discern the Divine behind Māyā to move toward liberation.

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

By naming Prakṛti as Śambhuśakti, it points devotees to Saguna Śiva as the Lord inseparable from His Śakti; Linga-worship honors that transcendent Pati (Śiva) who governs Prakṛti and Māyā rather than being bound by them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind against anger and delusion through Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and contemplative remembrance that Māyā is Śiva’s Śakti, not the Self.