Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34

काली-परिचयः / Himagiri Presents Kālī (Pārvatī) to Śiva

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याद्युक्त्वा बहुतरं महायोगी महेश्वरः । विरराम गिरीशं तं महायोगिवरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityādyuktvā bahutaraṃ mahāyogī maheśvaraḥ | virarāma girīśaṃ taṃ mahāyogivaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

梵天说道：如此说罢，又说了许多，那位大瑜伽行者——大自在天主（摩诃伊湿伐罗）便止语沉默；那位吉利沙，瑜伽者之最上、全能的主宰，于是暂歇。

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद; धातु—वच् (to speak)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasāna (वचनपर्यवसान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आदि: and so on; beginning with
• आदि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable used as ‘etc./beginning with’)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); धातु—वच् (to say): ‘having said’

• बहुतरम्: at greater length; much more
• बहुतरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: ‘much more/at greater length’)

• महायोगी: the great yogin
• महायोगी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक; महा + योगिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular); समासः—कर्मधारय (mahā-yogī = great yogin)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (great Lord)

• विरराम: ceased; stopped
• विरराम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); आत्मनेपद; धातु—रम् (to stop/cease, to rest): ‘ceased’

• गिरीशम्: Giriśa (Lord of the mountain)
• गिरीशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरीश (प्रातिपदिक; गिरि + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of the mountain)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• महायोगिवरः: the best of great yogins
• महायोगिवरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोगिवर (प्रातिपदिक; महायोगिन् + वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रेष्ठः महायोगिनाम् = best among great yogins)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as Mahāyogī—whose teaching is vast, yet whose highest instruction also includes silence, pointing beyond words to direct realization of Pati (the Lord) as the liberating reality.

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

By naming Śiva as Maheśvara and Girīśa, the verse supports Saguna devotion—worshiping the Lord with attributes—while implying that His spoken guidance ultimately leads the devotee toward the transcendent truth indicated by His silence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests śravaṇa (listening to Śiva’s teaching) followed by dhyāna (silent meditation) to internalize it—ideally supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a steady contemplative practice.