Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

अथ तौ गुरुशक्रौ च कुर्वंतौ गमनं मुदा । आलोक्य पुरुषं भीमं मार्गमध्येऽद्भुताकृतिम्

Transliteration

atha tau guruśakrau ca kurvaṃtau gamanaṃ mudā | ālokya puruṣaṃ bhīmaṃ mārgamadhye'dbhutākṛtim

Translation

ثم إنّ الاثنين—بريهاسبتي المُعلِّم وشَكرا (إندرا)—مضيا في طريقهما بفرح. وفي وسط السبيل أبصرا شخصًا مهيبًا مُخيفًا، ذا هيئة عجيبة خارقة، قائمًا في الطريق أمامهما.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• गुरुशक्रौ: Bṛhaspati and Śakra (Indra)
• गुरुशक्रौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (गुरुः च शक्रः च)

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

• कुर्वन्तौ: doing, making
• कुर्वन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Active Participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद-प्रयोग

• गमनम्: going, journey
• गमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• पुरुषम्: a man/person
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भीमम्: terrible, formidable
• भीमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मार्गमध्ये: in the middle of the path
• मार्गमध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मार्गस्य मध्ये)

• अद्भुताकृतिम्: of wondrous form
• अद्भुताकृतिम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अद्भुता आकृतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Bṛhaspati (Guru)

FAQs

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

It highlights how even the highest celestial authorities (Indra and his guru) must pause before the mysterious and awe-inspiring manifestations that arise in the Lord’s cosmic play—prompting humility, discernment, and reverence for divine will.

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

The verse foreshadows a tangible, perceivable (saguṇa) divine intervention—an ‘adbhuta’ form that redirects the narrative. In Shaiva understanding, such appearances point back to Shiva’s governance of events, which Linga-worship ritually acknowledges as the accessible sign of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate alertness and surrender when confronted by the unknown: steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and approach extraordinary experiences with humility rather than ego.