Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

तदधीनं जगत्सर्वं यद्देवासुरमानुषम् । तयैव मोहितो विष्णुः कामाधीनोऽभवद्धरिः

Transliteration

tadadhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ yaddevāsuramānuṣam | tayaiva mohito viṣṇuḥ kāmādhīno'bhavaddhariḥ

Translation

整个世界——天神、阿修罗与人类——都落在她的支配之下。唯因她的迷惑，连毗湿奴（诃利）也受欲望所制。

Word by Word

• तत्-अधीनम्: dependent on that
• तत्-अधीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य अधीनम्); विशेषणम् जगत् इति

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् जगत् इति

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• देव-असुर-मानुषम्: (consisting of) gods, demons, and humans
• देव-असुर-मानुषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (देवाश्च असुराश्च मानुषाश्च)

• तया: by her/through her
• तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् विष्णुः इति

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• काम-अधीनः: subject to desire
• काम-अधीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य अधीनः); विशेषणम् हरिः इति

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोः पर्यायः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the Purāṇic teaching that cosmic delusion (moha) and desire (kāma) can bind any embodied role within creation; liberation requires taking refuge in Śiva as Pati (the Lord beyond Māyā) rather than being ruled by the guṇas and passions.

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

By highlighting the power of delusion over even great deities, the text points devotees toward Saguna Śiva-worship (including Liṅga-upāsanā) as a stabilizing refuge—devotion, mantra, and purity of conduct are presented as means to rise above kāma and moha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is to reduce kāma through japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), steady worship of the Śiva-liṅga, and disciplines of śama–dama (restraint), supported by traditional Śaiva markers like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa where appropriate.