Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

यज्ञविध्वंसकर्त्रे च यज्ञानां फलदायिने । नमस्ते मखरूपाय परकर्मप्रवर्तिने

Transliteration

yajñavidhvaṃsakartre ca yajñānāṃ phaladāyine | namaste makharūpāya parakarmapravartine

Translation

向您顶礼——您能终止祭祀之仪，却唯有您赐予一切祭祀的真实果报；向您致敬，您即是“摩诃”(Makha，祭祀)之形体，并推动众生趋向其业所定之行。

Word by Word

• यज्ञविध्वंसकर्त्रे: to the destroyer of sacrifices
• यज्ञविध्वंसकर्त्रे: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-विध्वंस-कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञानां विध्वंसस्य कर्ता)

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

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• फलदायिने: to the giver of fruits (results)
• फलदायिने: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल-दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (फलम् ददाति इति)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन/सम्बन्ध (नमस्कार-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (ते = तुभ्यम्)

• मखरूपाय: to the one whose form is the sacrifice (makha)
• मखरूपाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मखस्य रूपम्)

• परकर्मप्रवर्तिने: to the instigator of others' actions
• परकर्मप्रवर्तिने: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-कर्म-प्रवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परस्य कर्मणः प्रवर्तकः/प्रवर्तयिता)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn/praise occurring in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames all ritual efficacy as dependent on Śiva: he can terminate external yajña yet alone grants its fruit—encouraging pilgrims to prioritize Śiva-bhakti over mere ritualism.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: yajñavidhvaṃsakartre ca yajñānāṃ phaladāyine | namaste makharūpāya parakarmapravartine

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Shiva is both the power that can dissolve outward ritualism and the Lord who grants the real fruit of sacrifice—inner purification and grace—so devotion and right understanding must accompany rites.

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

Calling Shiva “makharūpa” aligns with Saguna worship: the Linga embodies the Lord as the sacred center of yajna and worship, indicating that all offerings culminate in Shiva, the indwelling recipient and fulfiller.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform worship as an inner yajna—offer actions and ego into Shiva through japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and maintain purity of intention, seeing Shiva as the giver of all karmic fruits.