Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

देवपराजयः — शङ्करशरणागमनं स्कन्दकालीयुद्धं च | Devas’ Defeat, Refuge in Śaṅkara, and the Battle of Skanda and Kālī

Devanagari script

नानाविधां स्वमायां च चकार मयदर्शिताम् । तां नाविदन् सुराः केपि गणाश्च मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

nānāvidhāṃ svamāyāṃ ca cakāra mayadarśitām | tāṃ nāvidan surāḥ kepi gaṇāśca munisattama

Translation

噢，最胜牟尼啊，他依我所述，造作并显现了种种自有的幻力（māyā）。然而诸天之中无有一位，乃至诸侍从神众（gaṇa），能真正识别或洞彻那幻相。

Word by Word

• नाना-विधाम्: of various kinds
• नाना-विधाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + विधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular agreeing with ‘मायाम्’; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘various kinds’)

• स्व-मायाम्: his own illusion/power
• स्व-मायाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘own māyā/illusion’)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक conjunction (and)

• चकार: made/created
• चकार: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘did/made’

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Kartā/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular ‘by me’

• दर्शिताम्: shown (to him)
• दर्शिताम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; agreeing with ‘मायाम्’; ‘shown’

• ताम्: that (māyā)
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध particle (not)

• अविदन्: knew/recognized
• अविदन्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘knew/recognized’

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; nominative plural

• के: some
• के: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; interrogative/indefinite ‘some/which’ (with अपि)

• अपि: even/also (forming ‘some’)
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात forming indefinite with interrogative (some)

• गणाः: the attendants (gaṇas)
• गणाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; nominative plural

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction (and)

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘श्रेष्ठः मुनिः’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Ganas
• Maya

FAQs

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

It highlights māyā as a powerful veiling force that can bewilder even exalted beings; liberation requires Shiva’s grace and right discernment, not mere status or power.

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

Saguna worship—such as devotion to the Shiva-Linga—anchors the mind in Shiva as Pati (the Lord beyond māyā), helping the devotee see through appearances and remain steady amid bewildering phenomena.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhakti and self-inquiry is implied as the practical means to transcend māyā; on Mahāśivarātri, this is traditionally intensified with vigil, mantra, and Linga-pūjā.