Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

शिवतत्त्ववर्णनम् (Śiva-tattva-varṇana) — “Description/Exposition of the Principle of Śiva”

Devanagari script

मूलीभूतं सदोक्तं च सत्यज्ञानमनंतकम् । एवं ज्ञात्वा सदा ध्येयं मनसा चैव तत्त्वतः

Transliteration

mūlībhūtaṃ sadoktaṃ ca satyajñānamanaṃtakam | evaṃ jñātvā sadā dhyeyaṃ manasā caiva tattvataḥ

Translation

当知彼为万有之本根，恒被正宣，为真理与觉知，亦为无量无尽；既如是了悟，当以心常常观想彼，契合至上实相（tattva）。

Word by Word

• मूलीभूतम्: fundamental; having become the root
• मूलीभूतम्: विशेषण (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूलीभूत (कृदन्त; √भू धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘मूलं भूत्वा’ = having become the root/fundamental

• सत्: true; real
• सत्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सत्’ = true/real

• उक्तम्: said; declared
• उक्तम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यज्ञानम्: true knowledge; knowledge of truth
• सत्यज्ञानम्: कर्म (object) / विशेष्य (head noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य-ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘सत्यस्य ज्ञानम्’ = knowledge of truth)

• अनन्तकम्: endless; infinite
• अनन्तकम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अनन्तक’ = endless/without end

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: पूर्वकाल (absolutive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञात्वा (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having known/understood’

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: always)

• ध्येयम्: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयम्: विधेय (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त; √ध्यै धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक भाव्य/कर्तव्यताबोधक कृदन्त (यत्/अनीयर्-भाव: ‘to be meditated upon’)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: करण (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तत्त्वतः: truly; in essence
• तत्त्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त): ‘in reality/according to truth’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s highest principle as taught in the Rudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is the primal source of all, characterized as Truth and infinite Consciousness, and that liberation-oriented practice is steady contemplation of this highest reality.

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

While the verse points to Shiva’s ultimate, infinite nature (beyond form), Shaiva practice commonly approaches this through Saguna supports like the Shiva Linga—using form as a doorway to realize the formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct instruction to dhyāna: daily mental contemplation on Shiva as the root-cause and infinite truth-consciousness; it can be paired with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady the mind in tattva.