Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30

देवस्तुतिः — Hymn of Praise by the Devas

Devastuti

Devanagari script

नानाकर्मकरो नित्यं निर्विकारोऽखिलेश्वरः । वयं ब्रह्मादयस्सर्वे तव दासा महेश्वर

Transliteration

nānākarmakaro nityaṃ nirvikāro'khileśvaraḥ | vayaṃ brahmādayassarve tava dāsā maheśvara

Translation

噢摩诃伊湿伐罗，万有之主——纵然您恒常施作种种宇宙之业，您却永远不变。我们一切众神，自梵天起，实皆为您的仆从。

Word by Word

• नानाकर्मकरः: doer of various deeds
• नानाकर्मकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + कर्म + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: नानाविधानि कर्माणि करोति इति), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) (महेश्वरः) इति विशेष्यस्य

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (काल/Time adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative), कालवाचक (always)

• निर्विकारः: unchanging
• निर्विकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) (महेश्वरः) इति विशेष्यस्य

• अखिलेश्वरः: Lord of all
• अखिलेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: अखिलः ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्रह्मादयः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (समाहार/आदि-प्रयोग: ब्रह्मा-आदयः = Brahmā and others), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) वयम् इति विशेष्यस्य

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• दासाः: servants
• दासाः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

The gods led by Brahmā (Brahmādayaḥ) addressing Lord Śiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: Oṃkāra as the cosmic principle and Śiva as the changeless substratum of manifold activity; the verse’s ‘nānākarmakaraḥ… nirvikāraḥ’ aligns with the Omkāra-kṣetra symbolism of the unchanging reality behind creation-preservation-dissolution.

Significance: Pilgrimage emphasizes recognizing the immutable Lord behind all cosmic functions; fosters dāsya-bhāva (servant-attitude) and surrender.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) who performs all cosmic functions yet remains nirvikāra (unchanged), and it places even Brahmā and the gods in the posture of dāsya-bhakti—humble servitude to Mahēśvara.

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

Though Śiva is described as changeless (nirvikāra), devotees approach him through Saguna forms such as the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible embodiment of Akhileśvara—worshiping the manifest symbol while contemplating the unchanging Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt dāsya-bhāva in japa and pūjā—especially Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—offering all actions to Śiva as Lord of all, while meditating on his inner changelessness beyond all modifications.