Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

शिवानुकम्पा, ब्रह्मणो निर्भयत्वं च (Śiva’s Compassion and Brahmā’s Fearlessness)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचश्शम्भोर्बहुलीलाकृतः प्रभोः । स्पृशन् स्वं कं तथा भूत्वा प्राणमं वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacaśśambhorbahulīlākṛtaḥ prabhoḥ | spṛśan svaṃ kaṃ tathā bhūtvā prāṇamaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

梵天说道：如是聆听了商布（湿婆）之言——那以无数奇妙戏乐（līlā）示现的主宰——我触及自身，心归谦抑安定，遂恭敬顶礼于牛旗之主、乘牛的湿婆。

Word by Word

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

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरणसूचक (Quotative particle)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Hetu/Anubandha (हेतु/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having heard’

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (collective sense)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• बहुलीलाकृतः: much-playful/with many sportive acts
• बहुलीलाकृतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + लीला + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of (ब्रह्मा); समास: बहु + लीला (कर्मधारय) + कृत (तत्पुरुष: ‘made/affected by many sports’)

• प्रभोः: of the Lord
• प्रभोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• स्पृशन्: touching
• स्पृशन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘कम्’

• कम्: (his) head (elliptic)
• कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘क’ here used as pronoun for ‘head’ per context (elliptic)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb: thus/so)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Anubandha (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having become’

• प्राणमम्: bowing/saluting
• प्राणमम्: Kriya (क्रिया/सहक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) + शतृ/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (प्राणम)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adverbially with implied ‘अहम्’/‘ब्रह्मा’ (while bowing)

• वृषभध्वजम्: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose banner is the bull’ (epithet of Śiva)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva principle that even Brahmā, a cosmic authority, attains right orientation through śravaṇa (hearing Śiva’s words) and vinaya (humility), expressed as pranāma to Pati (the Supreme Lord).

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

By naming Śiva as Śambhu and Vṛṣabhadhvaja (a Saguna identifier), the verse supports devotion to Śiva with attributes—approaching the transcendent through reverent worship and surrender, which also underlies Liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is pranāma and attentive listening to scripture (śravaṇa). In worship, this aligns with beginning pūjā by mentally bowing to Śiva (often with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) before offering.