Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

अन्यच्छृणु महेशान पूर्ववृत्तं स्मृतं मया । यन्नौ पुरःपुरा प्रोक्तं त्वयैव शिवरूपिणा

Transliteration

anyacchṛṇu maheśāna pūrvavṛttaṃ smṛtaṃ mayā | yannau puraḥpurā proktaṃ tvayaiva śivarūpiṇā

Translation

噢大自在天（Maheśāna），请再听我一言——我所忆起的往昔因缘：那是久远之前，你亲自以湿婆之形对我们所说的话。

Word by Word

• अन्यत्: another (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (object)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महेशान: O Maheśāna
• महेशान: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पूर्व-वृत्तम्: the earlier account/event
• पूर्व-वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: पूर्वं वृत्तम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, Kta); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘पूर्ववृत्तम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय (remembered)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• नौ: to us / of us (dual)
• नौ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन-रूप (gen./dat. dual) ‘नौ’ = “of us/to us”

• पुरः: before, in front
• पुरः: Desha/Adhikarana (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘in front/before’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• प्रोक्तम्: was spoken
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, Kta); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य विधेय

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शिव-रूपिणा: by you, in the form of Śiva
• शिव-रूपिणा: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: शिवस्य रूपी; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of त्वया)

Speaker

Goddess Satī (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights śravaṇa (devout listening) and smṛti (recollection) of Śiva’s own teaching—core Shaiva practices where remembrance of the Lord’s words purifies the mind and turns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

Satī emphasizes that the teaching was given by Śiva “in his own form,” affirming Saguna devotion—approaching the Supreme through a personal, gracious form, which in practice includes reverence to the Liṅga as Śiva’s accessible presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Śiva-kathā-śravaṇa (listening to Shiva Purana recitation) and daily smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva’s instruction—optionally supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”