Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 63

नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion

Devanagari script

विलोक्य वेदानखिलाञ्छिवस्यैवार्चनम्परम् । संसारनाशनोपाय इति पूर्वैर्विनिश्चितम्

Transliteration

vilokya vedānakhilāñchivasyaivārcanamparam | saṃsāranāśanopāya iti pūrvairviniścitam

Translation

遍观诸吠陀之后，古圣先贤已断然裁定：灭除轮回（saṃsāra）之至上方便，唯有礼拜湿婆。

Word by Word

• विलोक्य: having examined
• विलोक्य: Kriyā (क्रिया/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√लोक् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having examined/seen’

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘vilokya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• अखिलान्: all; entire
• अखिलान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; qualifies ‘vedān’

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• एव: indeed; alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निपात)

• अर्चनम्: worship
• अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म/content/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• परम्: supreme; highest
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; qualifies ‘arcanam’

• संसारनाशनोपायः: the means to destroy saṃsāra
• संसारनाशनोपायः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + नाशन + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; tatpuruṣa: saṃsāra-nāśana-upāya = ‘means for destroying saṃsāra’

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

• पूर्वैः: by the ancients
• पूर्वैः: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; ‘by the ancients/earlier authorities’

• विनिश्चितम्: has been determined; ascertained
• विनिश्चितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√निश् + √चि (धातु) / विनिश्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; agrees with implied ‘(etat)’/statement: ‘has been ascertained’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic conclusion to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, within the Rudra Saṃhitā creation-context teaching)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames Śiva-arcana as the Veda-sāra and the decisive upāya for saṃsāra-nāśa; for pilgrims, reinforces that tīrtha/vrata gain their highest fruit when oriented to Śiva-bhakti and worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It states a Veda-aligned Purāṇic conclusion: devotion expressed as Śiva-arcana is the highest practical means for cutting saṃsāric bondage, because Śiva (Pati) alone grants liberation when the soul turns toward Him.

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

“Arcana” commonly implies concrete, saguna worship—often through the Śiva-liṅga with offerings and mantra—by which the devotee approaches the transcendent (nirguṇa) Lord through an accessible form, consistent with Shaiva Siddhanta practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Śiva-pūjā/arcana with mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as a disciplined daily practice aimed at purification and release from saṃsāra.