Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तादि चतुर्दिक्षु सोमस्यांते गुणत्रयम् । सद्योजातं प्रवक्ष्यामीत्यावाह्य परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

avyaktādi caturdikṣu somasyāṃte guṇatrayam | sadyojātaṃ pravakṣyāmītyāvāhya parameśvaram

Translation

在四方之中，自“不显”（Avyakta）起，至苏摩界之终，他安立三种德性（guṇa）之三分。随后召请至上主宰帕拉梅湿伐罗，宣告道：“今我当开示萨德约阇多（Sadyojāta）。”

Word by Word

• avyakta-ādi: the unmanifest and the rest
• avyakta-ādi: Kartā (कर्ता/Subject in listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘आदि’ = इत्यादि (and so on)

• catuḥ-dikṣu: in the four directions
• catuḥ-dikṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catuḥ (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); अधिकरण (location: in the four directions)

• somasya: of Soma
• somasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ante: at the end/in the center
• ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• guṇa-trayam: the three guṇas
• guṇa-trayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sadyo-jātam: immediately-born; ‘Sadyojāta’ (name/aspect)
• sadyo-jātam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय) + jāta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) (उक्तं/मन्त्रं/रूपं) इत्यर्थे

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall declare
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), इति-उक्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययकृदन्त (indeclinable verbal), ‘having invoked’

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (narrated within Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa; relayed by Sūta to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic emanation sequence (tattva/guṇa establishment)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Soma

FAQs

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

It shows that the guṇas belong to manifesting nature, while the teaching is given only after invoking Parameśvara—affirming Śiva as the transcendent Pati who illumines creation and its principles.

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

By invoking Parameśvara and naming Sadyojāta (a revelatory aspect of Śiva), the verse supports saguna upāsanā—approaching the formless Lord through revealed forms/aspects, as in Liṅga worship and Panchabrahma contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Āvāhana (invocation) and dhyāna: mentally invoke Śiva, then contemplate Sadyojāta along with the guṇas as constituents of Prakṛti—strengthening discernment that Śiva is the Lord beyond them.