Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 51

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

परिश्रमवतस्तस्य विष्णोः स्वाङ्गेभ्य एव च । जलधारा हि संयाता विविधाश्शिवमायया

Transliteration

pariśramavatastasya viṣṇoḥ svāṅgebhya eva ca | jaladhārā hi saṃyātā vividhāśśivamāyayā

Translation

当毗湿奴在那项事业中奋力之时，确有水流从他自身诸肢体涌出——皆由湿婆之摩耶而以种种方式显现。

Word by Word

• pariśrama-vataḥ: of the fatigued/strenuous one
• pariśrama-vataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pariśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त तद्धित (possessive adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of the one who has exertion'

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• svāṅgebhyaḥ: from (his) own limbs
• svāṅgebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (svāṅga = 'own limbs'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle: 'indeed/just')

• ca: and
• ca: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: 'and')

• jala-dhārā: a stream of water
• jala-dhārā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (water-stream); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: 'indeed/for')

• saṃyātā: arose, came forth
• saṃyātā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam√yā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/विधेय (predicate: 'came forth/issued')

• vividhāḥ: various, manifold
• vividhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied 'dhārāḥ' streams)

• śiva-māyayā: by Śiva’s māyā
• śiva-māyayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Śiva's māyā); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the supreme governor of Māyā—by whose power even cosmic functions carried out by Viṣṇu proceed; creation is shown to unfold under Śiva’s overarching divine agency.

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

By attributing manifestation to Śiva’s Māyā, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship (including the Liṅga) as devotion to the accessible form of the Supreme who directs the universe’s visible processes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with contemplation that all energies and transformations arise through Śiva’s śakti (Māyā), fostering surrender and steadiness in sādhanā.