Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

शिवस्य तपोऽनुष्ठानम् — Śiva’s Austerity and Meditation at Himavat

Gaṅgā-Region

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य गिरीशस्य महेश्वरः । किंचिदुन्मील्य नेत्रे च ददर्श सगणं गिरिम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya girīśasya maheśvaraḥ | kiṃcidunmīlya netre ca dadarśa sagaṇaṃ girim

Translation

梵天曰：如是听闻山主吉利沙之言，大自在天微启双目，见彼山岳，并其随从众会。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta: speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसमाप्ति (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative/end marker)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√कर्ण्/श्रु (धात्वर्थ: to hear) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having heard’

• वचः: words, speech
• वचः: कर्म (Karma: object of आकर्ण्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गिरीशस्य: of Girīśa (Lord of mountains)
• गिरीशस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; appositional genitive with तस्य

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara
• महेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta: subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किंचित्: slightly
• किंचित्: विशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: a little, somewhat)

• उन्मील्य: having opened
• उन्मील्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√मील् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having opened’

• नेत्रे: (his) two eyes
• नेत्रे: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; object of उन्मील्य

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स-गणम्: with (his) retinue
• स-गणम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गवत्: with) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह-समासार्थ: ‘with attendants’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of गिरिम्)

• गिरिम्: the mountain
• गिरिम्: कर्म (Karma: object of ददर्श)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s anugraha (grace): when the Lord turns His awareness outward—even “slightly opening His eyes”—the devotee’s world becomes sanctified by His darśana, indicating that liberation ultimately depends on the Pati (Lord) bestowing attention and compassion.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—Mahēśvara acting, seeing, and responding. In Liṅga worship, devotees seek this same divine presence and ‘darśana’ through arcana, abhiṣeka, and mantra, inviting the Lord’s gracious regard upon the worshipper and the sacred space.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Śiva’s compassionate gaze while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); during Mahāśivarātri or daily pūjā, one may apply bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and offer water to the liṅga, praying for Śiva’s anugraha-darśana.