Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40
हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्
The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms
तं दृष्ट्वा मे सिसृक्षोश्च ज्ञात्वा साधकमात्मनः । सर्गोऽवर्तत दुःखाढ्यस्तिर्यक्स्रोता न साधकः
taṃ dṛṣṭvā me sisṛkṣośca jñātvā sādhakamātmanaḥ | sargo'vartata duḥkhāḍhyastiryaksrotā na sādhakaḥ
ولمّا رأيتُه، وعلمتُ أنّي عازمٌ على الخلق وأنّه مُنجِزٌ لمقصدي، ابتدأ مسارُ الخلقِ يجري؛ غير أنّه امتلأ بالألم، جارِيًا في تيّارٍ هابطٍ مقترنٍ بالتامَس، ولم يكن مُعينًا على التحقّق الروحي.
Brahma (as narrator within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa account, relayed in the Purāṇic discourse)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa
Cosmic Event: Tāmasa/tiryaksrotas phase of sṛṣṭi: a downward/sideways current producing sorrow-laden, spiritually non-conducive embodiment.
FAQs
It highlights that creation, when dominated by a downward tamasic current, naturally becomes sorrow-laden and obstructs sādhana; liberation requires turning toward the higher, Shiva-oriented current of consciousness.
When the world-flow is not sādhaka (not supportive of practice), devotion to Saguna Shiva—especially Linga-worship—becomes the corrective means to redirect the mind from tamas toward purity, grace, and liberation.
The practical takeaway is to counter the downward current through Shiva-sādhana such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing Rudrākṣa, and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with disciplined worship.