Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

ततः प्रसन्नचित्तोऽहमसृजं स्थावराभिधम् । मुख्यसर्गं च निस्संगमध्यायं शंभुशासनात्

Transliteration

tataḥ prasannacitto'hamasṛjaṃ sthāvarābhidham | mukhyasargaṃ ca nissaṃgamadhyāyaṃ śaṃbhuśāsanāt

Translation

ثمّ وقد سكن قلبي وامتلأ سرورًا، أوجدتُ الخلقَ المعروفَ بالثابتين (ستهافارا)؛ وبأمرِ شَمبهو شرعتُ أيضًا في الخلقِ الرئيس، منزَّهًا عن التعلّق، غيرَ مقيَّدٍ بتشبّث الدنيا.

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• प्रसन्नचित्तः: with a pleased mind
• प्रसन्नचित्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘प्रसन्नं चित्तं यस्य’)—‘with a pleased mind’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असृजम्: created / emitted
• असृजम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfective past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्थावराभिधम्: named ‘sthāvara’ (immobile)
• स्थावराभिधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘स्थावरम् अभिधीयते येन/यत्’) = ‘called “sthāvara”’

• मुख्यसर्गम्: the principal creation
• मुख्यसर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख्य + सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘मुख्यः सर्गः’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• निस्संगम्: detached
• निस्संगम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘detached, without attachment’

• अध्यायम्: chapter / section
• अध्यायम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शम्भुशासनात्: from Śambhu’s command
• शम्भुशासनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘शम्भोः शासनम्’)

Speaker

Brahmā

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Sṛṣṭi-krama: emergence of sthāvara-sarga under Śambhu’s niyamana (governance)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that even cosmic creation is ultimately governed by Śiva (Pati) and should be undertaken in nissaṅga—inner detachment—showing that action becomes spiritually pure when aligned with Śiva’s will rather than personal craving.

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

By naming Śambhu as the commanding Lord behind creation, the verse supports Saguna Śiva devotion: the devotee honors Śiva as the conscious ruler of the cosmos, often worshiped through the Liṅga as the accessible form of the transcendent Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice nissaṅga while doing duties: worship Śiva with the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and cultivate inner detachment, offering all actions mentally to Śambhu as an act of devotion.