Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

शङ्खचूडवधकथनम् / The Account of Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Slaying

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्युक्तास्ते सुरास्सर्वे धैर्यमालंब्य वै मुने । ययुर्ब्रह्मादयस्सुस्थास्स्वस्वधामानि सर्वशः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | ityuktāste surāssarve dhairyamālaṃbya vai mune | yayurbrahmādayassusthāssvasvadhāmāni sarvaśaḥ

Translation

萨那特库玛罗说：听了这番话，诸天——噢牟尼——重得镇定，执持勇气；于是梵天等众，心神安稳，各自回归本宫本界。

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सनत् + कुमार)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; अव्यय, उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक (quotative/thus)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/told
• उक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘सुराः’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘सुराः’)

• धैर्यम्: courage/steadfastness
• धैर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आलम्ब्य: having relied on
• आलम्ब्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having taken support of’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थक

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मादयः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मा-आदयः = Brahmā and others)

• सुस्थाः: well-composed/steady
• सुस्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘ब्रह्मादयः/सुराः’)

• स्वस्वधामानि: their respective abodes
• स्वस्वधामानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + स्व + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (स्वस्व = each one’s own) + धामानि

• सर्वशः: altogether
• सर्वशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समग्रतार्थक (in every way/entirely)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it narrates the devas regaining steadiness and returning to their abodes after being reassured.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Devas
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a Shaiva ethical-spiritual teaching: when divine instruction is received, fear and agitation subside, and one returns to one’s rightful station with steadiness (dhairya). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, composure and right orientation arise when the mind aligns with Pati (Shiva) and dharma.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, the narrative mood is consistent with Saguna Shiva’s protective governance: the devas regain courage after being properly guided, reflecting the assurance devotees receive through Shiva’s grace and order—often approached through Linga worship as the stable center of refuge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is cultivating dhairya (steadfastness) through japa and remembrance—especially Panchakshara mantra japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—to stabilize the mind before action, mirroring how the devas become composed and return to their duties.