Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

कामभस्म-प्रार्थना: रत्याः शङ्करं प्रति विनयः / Rati’s Supplication to Śaṅkara regarding Kāma’s Ashes

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति स्तुत्वा महेशानं गिरिजानायकम्प्रभुम् । सिषेविरे परप्रीत्या विष्ण्वाद्यास्ते यथोचितम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | iti stutvā maheśānaṃ girijānāyakamprabhum | siṣevire paraprītyā viṣṇvādyāste yathocitam

Translation

梵天说道：如此赞颂了大自在天摩诃伊沙那——光辉灿然、吉利迦（帕尔瓦蒂）之主——毗湿奴等诸神满怀至乐，便各依其分，以相应之礼侍奉于他。

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotation/closure particle

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गिरिजा-नायकम्: the lord of Girijā (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा-नायकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘गिरिजायाः नायकः’

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सिषेविरे: they served/attended
• सिषेविरे: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• पर-प्रीत्या: with great devotion
• पर-प्रीत्या: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘परमा प्रीतिः’ = great devotion/joy

• विष्णु-आद्याः: those headed by Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यथा-उचितम्: as appropriate
• यथा-उचितम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उचित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; अव्यय (adverb): ‘यथोचितम्’ = as is proper

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that even exalted beings like Viṣṇu and the devas approach Śiva as Maheśāna (the Supreme Lord) with praise, humility, and loving service—an ideal Shaiva pattern of bhakti culminating in surrender to Pati (the Lord).

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna upāsanā: praising and serving the manifest Lord (Maheśāna, Girijā-nāyaka). In Shiva Purana practice, such stuti naturally expresses itself as ārādhana to Śiva—often through Liṅga worship with reverence and propriety (yathocitam).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is: perform stotra-pāṭha (hymn recitation) followed by sevā—Liṅga-pūjā with proper offerings, and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a devoted, joyful mind.