Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अथवा च शिवः पूज्यो मूलमेकं विशिष्यते । मूले सिक्ते तथा शाखास्तृप्तास्सत्यखिलास्सुराः

Transliteration

athavā ca śivaḥ pūjyo mūlamekaṃ viśiṣyate | mūle sikte tathā śākhāstṛptāssatyakhilāssurāḥ

Translation

或唯当礼敬湿婆一尊——祂是唯一至上的根本。根得灌溉，则枝皆满足；同样，诚然诸神皆得欢喜满足（当湿婆受供养时）。

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ + वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (alternatively)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• शिवः: Shiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पूज्यः: is to be worshipped
• पूज्यः: Vidhi/Prayojya (विधेय/प्रयोज्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः—पूज्य (gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (to be worshipped)

• मूलम्: the root
• मूलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished / is especially effective
• विशिष्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शिष् (धातु) + वि-
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मूले: at the root
• मूले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सिक्ते: when (it is) watered
• सिक्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच् (धातु) → सिक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तथार्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• शाखाः: branches
• शाखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तृप्ताः: are satisfied
• तृप्ताः: Kriyā (क्रिया/अवस्था)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) → तृप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; शाखाः इति विशेष्येण सह

• सत्य: truly
• सत्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (truly/indeed)

• अखिलाः: all
• अखिलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Uses the root-and-branches nyāya to assert Śiva as the singular supreme cause/support; worship of the root (Śiva) automatically nourishes subsidiary deities.

Significance: Encourages ekānta-śaiva-bhakti: focusing worship on Śiva as the most efficacious means for overall deva-tarpaṇa and spiritual progress.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is the fundamental source (the ‘root’) of divine power; devotion to Him harmonizes and fulfills all subordinate divine functions, culminating in Shiva’s grace (anugraha) that leads the soul toward liberation.

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

The Linga represents Shiva as the supreme Reality accessible to worship; honoring Shiva in a concrete, saguna form is described as honoring the root-cause, through which all other deity-worship becomes implicitly completed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva-puja as primary: offer water (abhisheka) to the Shiva-linga, repeat the Panchakshara mantra ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya,’ and maintain single-pointed devotion—like watering the root to nourish the whole tree.