Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

देवस्तुतिः (Devastuti) — Hymn/Praise of the Devas

Devanagari script

हृषीकेशाच्युत विभो मृड शंकर ते नमः । अधोक्षज गजाराते कामारे विषभक्षणः

Transliteration

hṛṣīkeśācyuta vibho mṛḍa śaṃkara te namaḥ | adhokṣaja gajārāte kāmāre viṣabhakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

向您顶礼，遍一切的主——赫利希凯沙（Hṛṣīkeśa）、不堕者阿周陀（Acyuta）；噢慈惠者姆利陀（Mṛḍa）、吉祥的商羯罗（Śaṅkara），我向您顶礼。噢阿多克沙阇（Adhokṣaja），象魔之敌、摧灭迦摩（Kāma）者、吞饮毒液者——愿我敬礼归于您。

Word by Word

• हृषीकेश: O Hṛṣīkeśa
• हृषीकेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक; हृषीक + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हृषीकाणाम् ईशः)

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• विभो: O Lord (all-pervading one)
• विभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मृड: O Mṛḍa
• मृड: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘ते’ = to you

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (भाव/उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अधोक्षज: O Adhokṣaja
• अधोक्षज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधोक्षज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• गजाराते: O enemy of elephants
• गजाराते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजाराति (प्रातिपदिक; गज + अराति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गजानाम् अरातिः = enemy of elephants)

• कामारे: O foe of Kāma
• कामारे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामारि (प्रातिपदिक; काम + अरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य अरिः = foe of Kāma)

• विषभक्षणः: poison-eater
• विषभक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषभक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; विष + भक्षण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (विषं भक्षयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: hṛṣīkeśācyuta vibho mṛḍa śaṃkara te namaḥ | adhokṣaja gajārāte kāmāre viṣabhakṣaṇaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Samudra-manthana allusion via ‘viṣabhakṣaṇa’ (poison-drinking)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kama
• Gajasura

FAQs

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

It gathers multiple divine epithets to contemplate Śiva as both transcendent (Adhokṣaja—beyond senses) and compassionate (Mṛḍa, Śaṅkara), leading the devotee from fear and conflict toward auspiciousness and liberation.

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

These names function as saguna upāsanā—devotional contemplation of Śiva’s qualities and deeds—commonly paired with Liṅga worship, where the formless Pati is approached through a sacred form and praised as the all-pervading Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice nāma-japa of these epithets as a garland of praise, ideally alongside pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Liṅga-abhiṣeka; meditate on “Adhokṣaja” to steady the mind beyond sensory agitation.