Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1

देवगुरुप्रेषणम्

Himālaya Mission of the Gods’ Preceptor / The Gods Send Their Guru

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । तयोर्भक्तिं शिवे ज्ञात्वा परामव्यभिचारिणीम् । सर्वे शक्रादयो देवाश्चिचिन्तुरिति नारद

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tayorbhaktiṃ śive jñātvā parāmavyabhicāriṇīm | sarve śakrādayo devāścicinturiti nārada

Translation

梵天说道：噢，那罗陀（Nārada）啊，既已知晓那二者对湿婆（Śiva）至高而不移的虔敬，诸天——以释迦罗（Śakra，因陀罗）为首——皆陷入深沉思惟。

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, सर्वनाम

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शिवे: in/for Śiva
• शिवे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having known/understood’

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘भक्तिम्’

• अव्यभिचारिणीम्: unwavering/undeviating
• अव्यभिचारिणीम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्यभिचारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (negated) adjective; विशेषण of ‘भक्तिम्’

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

• शक्र-आदयः: Indra and others
• शक्र-आदयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘शक्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with Indra)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चिचिन्तुः: thought/reflected
• चिचिन्तुः: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narada
• Indra (Shakra)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights avyabhicāriṇī bhakti—single-pointed, non-deviating devotion to Śiva—as the highest spiritual disposition, so powerful that even the Devas are moved to contemplation; in Shaiva Siddhānta, such steadfast devotion aligns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) and supports liberation.

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

The verse emphasizes devotion directed to Śiva in an accessible, worshipful manner (Saguna Śiva), which in Purāṇic practice is commonly expressed through Liṅga-upāsanā—seeing Śiva as the supreme refuge and maintaining unwavering loyalty of heart and mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadiness in bhakti: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a focused mind, supported by simple Shaiva observances like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, to cultivate non-deviating devotion.