Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

देव-गण-समरः

Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां स्मृत्वा शंभुं प्रयत्नवान् । बृहस्पतिरुवाचेदं महेन्द्रं ज्ञानदुर्बलम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacasteṣāṃ smṛtvā śaṃbhuṃ prayatnavān | bṛhaspatiruvācedaṃ mahendraṃ jñānadurbalam

Translation

梵天说道：听罢他们的话，布里哈斯帕提奋力用心，忆念商布（主湿婆），遂对辨识已弱的摩诃因陀罗（因陀罗）说出此番劝诫。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणचिह्न (quotative particle)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kṛ (धातु) (आकर्णयति)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• वचः: the words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object of आकर्ण्य)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object of स्मृत्वा)

• प्रयत्नवान्: endeavoring / diligent
• प्रयत्नवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prayatna-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (possessive adjective)

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bṛhaspati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्म (object: ‘this [speech]’)

• महेन्द्रम्: to Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (महान् इन्द्रः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान/प्रति (addressee)

• ज्ञान-दुर्बलम्: weak in knowledge
• ज्ञान-दुर्बलम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + durbala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (सप्तमी/निमित्त: ज्ञाने दुर्बलः ‘weak in knowledge’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (महेन्द्रम्)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Brihaspati
• Shiva
• Indra

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that when worldly power (like Indra’s) loses spiritual discernment, guidance becomes fruitful only when rooted in remembrance of Śambhu—placing Shiva as the restoring source of right knowledge and dharma.

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

By naming Śambhu, it points to Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Lord who can be remembered and approached; such smaraṇa (remembrance) is a core devotional act that supports Linga-worship and steadies the mind toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is Shiva-smaraṇa—mentally recalling Śiva and taking refuge in him; practically, this aligns with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to restore clarity and humility.