Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

शंकरं त्वं च जानासि रूपं दृष्ट्वासि विह्वला । विकटं तस्य शंभोस्तु नानारूपाभिधस्य हि

Transliteration

śaṃkaraṃ tvaṃ ca jānāsi rūpaṃ dṛṣṭvāsi vihvalā | vikaṭaṃ tasya śaṃbhostu nānārūpābhidhasya hi

Translation

你固然认识商羯罗（Śaṅkara），然而见到那般形相却已心神震荡。因为那位娑婆呼（Śambhu）本就名号众多、示现多身，亦有奇妙而威怖的一面。

Word by Word

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• जानासि: you know
• जानासि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• रूपम्: the form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विह्वला: bewildered/agitated
• विह्वला: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• विकटम्: terrible/strange
• विकटम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (agreeing with rūpam)

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

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• नाना-रूप-अभिधस्य: of the one called by many forms / having many appellations/forms
• नाना-रूप-अभिधस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नानानि रूपाणि अभिधत्ते/अभिधीयते इति)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even when one “knows” Shiva, encountering His manifested (saguṇa) form can overwhelm the mind, revealing His boundless majesty and the devotee’s need for humble surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Pati (the Lord).

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

It supports saguṇa-upāsanā: Shiva is one Lord known by many names and forms. The Liṅga is a stable focus for worship of that same Shiva whose forms can appear awe-inspiring; devotion matures from fear/astonishment into steady bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while contemplating Shiva’s forms with reverence; if following household rites, combine it with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and calm breath to overcome vihvalatā (agitation).