Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

त्रिपुरदाहानन्तरं देवभयः ब्रह्मस्तुतिश्च — Fear of the Gods after Tripura’s Burning and Brahmā’s Praise

Devanagari script

पश्चाद्गुणस्वरूपाय नतो विश्वात्मने नमः । भक्तिप्रियाय शांताय शिवाय परमात्मने

Transliteration

paścādguṇasvarūpāya nato viśvātmane namaḥ | bhaktipriyāya śāṃtāya śivāya paramātmane

Translation

继而俯首礼拜那位具三德之体、为宇宙内在之我者——顶礼于圣主湿婆，至上真我：喜悦奉爱、恒常寂静、吉祥圆满。

Word by Word

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रम-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: afterwards)

• गुण-स्वरूपाय: to the one whose nature is (the) guṇas
• गुण-स्वरूपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: गुणानां स्वरूपम्); पुंलिङ्गे (contextually masc.), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• नतः: (I am) bowed
• नतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (√नम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘bowed’

• विश्व-आत्मने: to the Soul of the universe
• विश्व-आत्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: विश्वस्य आत्मा); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (आत्मन्-शब्द)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (भाव/उक्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थक पदम्

• भक्ति-प्रियाय: to the one dear to devotion
• भक्ति-प्रियाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भक्तेः प्रियः/भक्तिं प्रियः); पुंलिङ्गे (contextually masc.), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शान्ताय: to the peaceful one
• शान्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (√शम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परम-आत्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परम-आत्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (आत्मन्-शब्द)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the hymn/praise within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: guṇasvarūpāya nato viśvātmane namaḥ | bhaktipriyāya śāṃtāya śivāya paramātmane

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises Śiva as both immanent and transcendent—present as the inner Self of the universe (viśvātmā) while also being the Supreme Self (paramātmā). In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, it points to Pati as the ultimate refuge who grants grace when approached through bhakti.

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

Calling Śiva “guṇa-svarūpa” supports saguna worship: the Lord compassionately appears through the guṇas and accessible forms (such as the Liṅga) for devotees. Yet “paramātmā” affirms that the same Lord ultimately transcends all limiting attributes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is namaskāra with bhakti: bowing while remembering Śiva as the शांत (peaceful) inner Self. Practically, this aligns with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and Liṅga-pūjā performed with a calm, devotion-centered mind.